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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJia, Matthew Application (Youth) - 2021 02 25 Y T 9 CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA YOUTH COUNCIL APPLICATION About the Winter Springs Youth Council The Winter Springs Youth Council (WSYC) is an ad-hoc advisory board that provides appropriate recommendations to the City Commission regarding issues of special interest to youths within the City. The Winter Springs Youth Council shall consist of no more than twelve and no fewer than six members. WSYC responsibilities include: • To make recommendations to the City Commission on matters affecting youth in the City; • To increase and make recommendations regarding increasing youth participation and involvement in local government; • To seek and recommend ways to improve communication with students in area schools; • To organize and perform service projects, events or functions that benefit the City of Winter Springs community, subject to approval of the City Manager; • To recommend the creation of recognition programs foryouth; and • To perform any other youth-related matters assigned by the City Commission or City Manager. Member & Term Requirements Winter Springs Youth Council requirements include: • Resident of the City of Winter Springs for a minimum of six months preceding appointment and shall maintain said residency during their term • Between the ages of 14 and 18 years old • Enrolled in high school or entering high school,which may be a public school, private school, or home school Members shall serve terms one year in length and may reapply each year of enrollment in high school. Members shall be appointed on or before August 1 of each year. Members shall be automatically removed for lack of attendance at three consecutive, regularly scheduled meetings or failure to attend at least two-thirds of the regularly scheduled meetings during a calendar year. Members of the Winter Springs Youth Council are considered Public Officers of the City of Winter Springs. Members are required to conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times. As Public Officers, members are required to abide by the Code of Ethics for Public Officers,and the which pertain to members if appointed to the Winter Springs Youth Council. If appointed it is the member's sole obligation and duty to comply with such laws. Applicant Information Applicants for the Youth Council may be requested to interviewwith the respective appointing City Commissioner or Mayor and the staff liaison. Please return completed applications to the City of Winter Springs Winter Springs Youth Council Coordinator, Meghan McNeil, at 1126 East State Road 434, Winter Springs, FL32708 or email to mmcneiltZ0winter.Sr-jrin_,sfI Matthew C. Jia 7/26/2005 Full Name Date of Birth 410 Sandringham Ct. Street Address Apt/Unit Number Winter Springs FL 32708 City State Zip Code 407-920-5741 _ matthewcjia@gmail.com Phone Number ^Email Address 10th Trinity Preparatory School 2020/2021 School Year Grade School Name(If home schooled,write"Home Schooled") Are you able to attend meetings and activities of Youth Council for one year? Yes ❑ No Do you have reliable transportation to meetings and activities? Yes ❑ No Are you in good academic standing? � Yes ❑ No Please list all activities that you participate in during the school year Include sports, employment, school groups, community service, and extra-curriculum activities. i r-iis s,UIOul year,I am a partu, is se t:urrnpet Live programming,robotics,ant,!rPeecli Learns ano nave uritaergune a two-month internship with the technology department at my school.Academically,I am also part of the National Honor Society and French Honor Society while outside of school,I participate in the Orlando Chinese Professional Association(DCPA).For community service,I have 200+hours through organizing cultural events under the OCPA and helping build houses as a part of Habitat for Humanity.I have also founded a chapter and club for the international nonprofit organization Elevate the Future,where I lead a group of volunteers to educate Central Florida students in entrepreneurship and computer science for free.As for extracurricular activities, I enjoy music(song production;playing instruments:piano,guitar,harmonica,and bass guitar),video editing,biking,and game development.Prior to the pandemic,I also actively participated in Wushu(martial arts). Short Answer Questions You may include additional pages to complete answers if necessary. 1. Why do you wish to serve on the Winter Springs Youth Council? What do you hope to gain by this experience? I would be very grateful if I was chosen for the youth council and if I were,I would wish to better understand the processes of our local government in Winter Springs.I hope to become a more active part in the community and improve my cooperative decision- making skills,while gaining experience in working with the city commission and promoting change to improve the quality of life. 2. What are the most important issues to you,your friends, and your family concerning our community? As of now,the most important issue to us is CObiLB-1 s safety enuring the panuemic.We strictly practice social distancing/wearing masks and highly value the means necessary to limit COVID-19 spread in our community.Another issue I personally observe is the lack of youth engagement.I rarely see any young people outside with an exception of sports events and the dog park and hope to help change that through this position.Lastly,we wish to maintain a safe environment in Winter Springs that is welcoming and inclusive for everyone. 3. What characteristics or skills do you possess that make you a great representative? I believe with my experience in Elevate the Future,I would be able to help organize service projects and events effectively.I am also proactive;I take commitments very seriously and will try my best to complete work in a timely manner.I keep an open mind and can respect different opinions,while I also believe I can think outside the box and am able to socialize with others well.Lastly, being that I attend school outside the public education system, I could offer a perspective of other students in a similar situation. 4. Describe past experiences that have prepared you for this leadership role. I have experience in leadership through founding the Orlando Chapter of the international,501(c)(3),nonprofit organization Elevate the Future.I was fortunate enough to begin leading this chapter from scratch in April of 2020 and have since organized four events--each spanning multiple months--with my team.I believe enacting as chapter president has prepared me for this leadership role as in the past 10 months, I have been able to learn from multiple failures,obstacles,and successes with my team.I have observed important leadership characteristics from this opportunity and have been able to understand the complex details of event planning/organization. Letters of Recommendation Please submit two (2) letters of recommendations from a teacher, counselor, parent (home schooled students), or coach. Parent/Legal Guardian Agreement I give my permission for the above named applicant to seek a position on the City of Winter Springs Youth Council and I have read and understand the commitments required for the Council. Zhelin Liu 407-408-2286 Printed Name Phone Number zhelinliu@gmail.com Mother Email Address Relationship to Student Zhelin Liu 2/25/21 Parent/Legal Guardian Signature Date Commitment Statement I understand that being a member of the City of Winter Springs Youth Council carries certain responsibilities. I agree to conduct myself in a professional manner as a representative of my City. You hereby represent to the City of Winter Springs under penalties of perjury that the information provided herein is true and accurate to the best of your knowledge and the City of Winter Springs has the right to rely on that information. You hereby acknowledge that you must abide by the Code of Ethics for Public Officers, and the Florida Sunshine Law, which pertain to you if you are appointed to the Winter Springs Youth Council. If appointed it is your sole obligation and duty to comply with such laws. Matthew Jia 2/25/21 Student Signature Date 4,11-1 174-- TRINITY PREPARATORY SCHOOL Recommendation for Matthew Jia I am writing to recommend Matthew Jia for a position on the Winter Springs Youth Council. I have known for two years as a member of our Trinity Preparatory School Upper School. Matthew is a student that has thrived in the classroom and is actively involved with extracurriculars.As a motivated,self-starting student, he will thrive with a leadership position on the Winter Springs Youth council. The last year has been a challenging time in all of our lives with the global pandemic. Schools have evolved into hybrid institutions as teachers have reached students both in-person and virtually. Matthew connected with me last spring so that I could learn more about his role with Elevate the Future.This nonprofit was built by students to provide math and computer science education and tutoring to as many students as possible. Matthew is part of a network of tutors that have reached many students to tutor virtually during the past year and a half.We are so impressed with his initiative and empathy. Do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. Sincerely, Pat Mulloy Upper School Principal To whom it may concern, It is with great pleasure that I write this letter in support of Matthew Jia for the Winter Springs Youth Council. As Matthew's college guidance counselor I was very impressed with his proactive and mature approach in seeking out advanced educational opportunities that suit his interests. Matthew is very fascinated by computer science and technology. He has developed a love for programming and often in his free time works on game development. He has taught himself how to use the script in unity to make a game, edit a video using a video pad for a time capsule, and basic programming with JavaScript to become more versatile in technology. He has also learned how to digitize VCRs and is currently learning Arduino chips. Although computers are wonderful Matthew has broad and varied interests from his love of music and playing the piano,to video editing, and drawing. He has even taught himself to play a harmonica and ukulele for musical diversity and to whittle. To keep fit Matthew practices Kung Fu and enjoys bicycling. In his spare time, he likes to work with his hands and help others by volunteering at Habitat for Humanity, where he can often be found nailing in siding or painting. Additionally,he volunteers at the Orlando Chinese Professional Association where you can find him helping serve food, set up equipment, or organize other volunteers. In the spirit of a true student, Matthew is never one to sit idle or allow the world to pass him by and wonder what if. He is proactive about his learning and practices excellent time management skills in order to manage all his hobbies and extracurricular pursuits without sacrificing academic excellence or his sense of humor. As a former New Yorker and long-time college counselor, I understand what it takes to be successful not only in an Ivy League setting but in life where what you learn inside the classroom is nearly as powerful as what you do outside. Matthew I am proud to say has all the qualities needed to succeed in both. From seeking professional certification to helping out at the TrinityHelp desk Matthew is always looking for ways to improve the lives of others. Rather than allowing the pandemic to weigh him down, Matthew sought out a leadership position and an opportunity to help others. Knowing that the youth would suffer most from this shift he was mature enough to identify a cause that resonated strongly with his hope for building a better tomorrow and investing in the next generation. Matthew is never short of pursuing excellence. Driven, self-aware, and intrinsically motivated, this straight-A student is bound to be successful in whatever path he chooses in both his life and career. I am certain beyond a reasonable doubt that Matthew has the necessary academic background and motivation, and maturity necessary to be successful in this role. Sincerely, Maya Lupa College Counselor Trinity Preparatory School