State of the Youth Convening Gathers at Muir High School Library Wednesday

[Editor’s Note: This article originally reported that the State of Youth Convening event will be held at the Pasadena Public Library. That is not  correct. The event actually convenes in the Library at John Muir High School.]
It is the moment to be young in Pasadena, the moment each year when the City opens its eyes and ears to learn what the State of the Youth is locally.
State of the Youth Convening, said spokeswoman Christy Zamani, “is a gathering of students from both public and private schools that come together to speak about the youth needs and priorities in our city.”
Five years ago, students, nonprofit leaders, and the City’s Public Health Department partnered to conduct a full assessment of student needs that resulted in the development of a Pasadena Youth Master Plan.
That plan says, in part, that its purpose is to envision a Pasadena with, “a youth-serving culture that is more than the sum of its parts – a city where each program and initiative collaborates to boost outcomes for individual children and families, while creating a culture of safety, of social and civic engagement, and of academic and vocational aspiration.”
There are six goals, or guidelines, detailed in the Youth Master Plan:  That youth should have access to a variety of high-quality foods available at all times; that the Pasadena community that is committed to providing students with access to the arts, professional enrichment, higher education, and meaningful careers; that all Pasadena youth are living and thriving in a safe, supportive, and bully-free environment-especially at home, school and all other places where they interact in our community;  that a comprehensive support system that connects all aspects of youth development exists; that access for all youth to an effective and more affordable public transportation system and viable methods to get around Pasadena exists; that Pasadena is committed to advancing positive health by providing youth-friendly alcohol and drug prevention intervention and support services to youth.
The annual gathering, taking place this year on Feb. 6, is intended to assess how well the plan is working and what new areas might be added to it.
The first step in youth getting involved, said Zamani, is to attend the State of the Youth gathering. If not available for that, the Youth Network meeting takes place every first Wednesday of the month, on the fourth floor of the Pasadena Public Library.
State of the Youth Convening is being held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 1905 Lincoln Avenue, Pasadena. The school’s phone number is (626) 396-5600.