Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M Announces 31 Delegates for the Texas Statewide Youth Leadership Forum

COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS – The Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M University is pleased to announce the selection of delegates to its 2008 Texas Statewide Youth Leadership Forum (YLF). Thirty-one rising high school juniors and seniors with disabilities from across Texas will attend this year's YLF, to be held July 21 through July 25 on the campus of St. Edward’s University in Austin.

The YLF delegates are selected through a competitive application process. Emphasis is placed on the student's demonstration of leadership potential, participation in extra-curricular activities, school and/or community involvement, and the ability to interact well with other students. Geographic location, ethnicity and disability type are also considered so that the YLF represents a diverse group of students.

The 2008 delegates are (listed alphabetically by hometown):

Seth Carter, Abilene
Taylor Jones, Abilene
Jora Jordan, Abilene
Brittany Kurtz, Abilene
Jessie Portillo, Abilene
Hannah Liles, Bryan
Marvin Andrades, Carrollton
Philip Olivieri, College Station
Zachary Schertz, College Station
Jeannette Hines, Dallas
Myrna Adame, El Paso
Cynthia Magdaleno, El Paso
Alma Mendez, El Paso
Francisco Perez, El Paso
Michael Green, El Paso
Jamie Vasquez, El Paso
Larrissa Gonzolez, Horizon
Justin Guillote, Longview
W. Beasley, Lufkin
Deanna Celestine, Lufkin
Latisha Drake, Lufkin
Andrea Turner, Lufkin
Emily Walker, Lufkin
Kimberly Walker, Lufkin
Miranda Cunningham, North Richland Hills
Ryanne Ross, Pflugerville
Jacob Rangel, Pflugerville
Anne Hasson, San Angelo
Quint Pena, San Angelo
Ramon Silva, San Elizario
Nathan Rodriguez, Spring

YLF’s goal is to develop youth into leaders who advocate for persons with disabilities and influence policy development. The week’s activities will include a one-day tour of the Capitol with opportunities to meet state legislators, the governor and to hold mock legislative sessions. Training topics will include leadership skills, self-determination, self-advocacy, disability history, legislative process and issues dealing with college preparation, employment preparation and community involvement. See the full schedule of YLF activities.

YLF, which began in California in 1992, is currently active in 38 states. The primary purpose of YLF is to teach young people with disabilities to become leaders and advocates for the disability community. The Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M University is working in partnership with the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities and the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services to promote YLF in Texas.

For more information, contact Cheryl Grenwelge, YLF coordinator, at 979-458-1593 or cgrenwelge@tamu.edu, or visit the Texas YLF web site at http://txylf.tamu.edu.

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