Youth

take part in

community retreat

Editor's note: This is the second of a two-part series on the community-wide retreat held in Chaska on Feb. 9-10.

By CHRIS VETTER

Journal Staff Writer

CHASKA - Mary Lambrecht isn't shy about sharing her thoughts about the need for more funding for education. She brought her opinions and solutions to the community-wide retreat in Chaska.

Sitting a few feet away, Abdul Al-Salim talked with other community members about the importance of recreation activities, from new bike trails to a graffiti wall. Al-Salim also advocated a stronger emphasis on diversity programs in town.

Meanwhile, Chandra Seidl lobbied retreat members about the need for a teen center, where youth can hang out, play games and relax.

Youth involvement was a clear and present force at the community retreat held Friday and Saturday at the Oak Ridge Conference Center in Chaska. The teens were involved in planning and decision-making about how New Ulm will change and grow in the future.

Lambrecht, 15, Al-Salim, 16, and Seidl, 14, were among nine teen-agers who attended the day-long event, sharing their opinions and giving adults an alternate perspective of what is important to the future of New Ulm.

The teens, all members of the Youth Council, provided an important addition to the retreat. They interviewed numerous adults in recent weeks who could not attend the event and brought those opinions to the group discussions. They also shared concerns and goals that are important to teens.

Susan Ward, director of Healthy Communities/Healthy Youth, said it was important to include the teen perspective ­ something that was ignored in past years.

"Someone said that the median age at the last retreat was 49," Ward said. "Our goal was to bring that average age down."

So, Ward asked members of the Youth Council if they were interested in attending the event. The New Ulm Public High students sought sponsors to pay their way for the trip. Overall, nine teens went, but Ward said she was willing to take 12-15 youth.

"It is a far greater impact to have youth interacting with us than having adults translate what they believe youth want," Ward said.

Briana Batzlaff, 16, of Courtland, was happy that the adults took time to listen to youth concerns.

"We wanted to make our voices heard," Batzlaff said. "It's a chance to get to know the adult leaders in town."

The Oak Ridge Conference Center has never allowed people under age 18 to stay at a conference there. The group had to obtain special permission from the center, which was a source of pride for the students.

Terril Germscheid, 16, of New Ulm said she is honored to be in the first group of youth to ever be involved in the town's history of community-wide retreats.

"We are the future, so we should be here," Germscheid said. "I like the fact the adults are opening up. If we work together, we can accomplish anything."

Lambrecht echoed those comments. Unlike many of her peers, Lambrecht says she intends to stay in New Ulm after completing her schooling.

"I think youth need a stronger voice, a positive voice, in the community," Lambrecht said.

Jordy Veit, 18, of New Ulm, said the group came prepared to contribute to the dialogue.

"I think there are a lot of good ideas out there," Veit said.

Lambrecht said she was unsure of how the adult crowd would react to her opinions, but she was pleased with the results.

"I learned the adults were more open to our views," she said.

Several members of the Youth Council also sit on various city boards and commissions. John Tasto, 17, of New Ulm is a member of the Park & Recreation Commission, and he says the experience has taught him what to expect from working on city boards. Tasto was happy with the tone of the day-long workshop.

"I like to see the enthusiasm about renovating New Ulm," Tasto said.

Katie Luker, 17, of New Ulm said the last retreat in 1996 did not have a strong emphasis on youth projects. But now, conversations are focused on retaining young adults, adding skate parks, providing graffiti walls and emphasizing the need for a teen center.

"Now, they're mentioning youth," Luker said. "And that's because we're here."

Veit said the community has been supportive of the youth's role at the retreat.

"There was a lot of support from my teachers, and they were interested in what I was doing," Veit said.

Don Bargen, the retreat facilitator, was impressed with the youth's involvement.

"It's kind of distinctive to have the youth here," Bargen said.

Adult retreat members said it was a bonus to have so many youth on hand, being actively involved in discussions on ways to improve the town.

"They seem to have no intimidation of adults, and that's great," said Carisa Buegler of United Way of New Ulm. "Things in town have changed so much, with youth sitting on the boards and commissions."

Marian Miller of New Ulm agreed, saying that attitudes about the importance of teen input have changed.

"Adults today are willing to listen in a way that older generations didn't," Miller said.

While the youth were heavily involved in the day activities, the group wasn't entirely satisfied. Lambrecht said she wanted to see even more youth at future retreats, saying she found it depressing that more teens weren't interested in attending.