By Jackson Danley
If you haven’t heard, my name is Jackson (but people call me Jack), and I recently received the first ever Cooper-Young Community Association Youth and Family Scholarship. Part of the scholarship agreement is that I sit on the board for a year. My name is on the agenda and everything! Throughout the upcoming year, I will be sharing my experiences with you so you can join in on my journey as an official board member.
Tuesday evening, I attended my first board meeting as the youth representative. I was able to introduce myself to everyone on the board, and I also learned all their names and what they do. The meeting opened with a presentation from two students from Memphis College of Art, who came to propose a new mural concept to be painted on the CYCA building. I thought the design was very interesting and that it would be a welcome addition to our community. The decision was tabled so we could finalize our thoughts on the design.
The majority of the two-hour meeting was devoted to more official business. We spent some time discussing the budget and a new contract for the CY 4-miler, which may make the race easier to organize and attract more runners. I actually introduced the motion to adopt the contract. It was my first official action as a board member!
Besides that, I stayed quiet for most of the meeting, observing the other members perform their roles. This will prove to be a valuable experience because I now know what is generally expected of a board member. I also have a better grasp of the voting process and the individual duties of all the members, particularly the treasurer, secretary, and committee chairs. In future meetings, I will be able to participate more fully. The experience I gain from being on this board will definitely help me in the future when I find myself on various leadership teams, boards, and committees.
Going forward, I think I will become involved with the transportation and livability committees which are led by Patrick and Theo. They seemed friendly, and their committees really interest me. Most importantly, these committees most directly impact me and other youth since we walk and ride bikes and scooters. I am excited to help out with Patrick’s “sidewalk audit,” among other things.
The meeting was, as a whole a, positive experience. I didn’t know how interested I would be in the meeting, but I was pleasantly surprised at how fun and informal it was at times. I can’t wait to get more involved this fall!
