100 Simi Valley Teens Walked Into the Reagan Library and Left With a Plan to Change Their Schools
Sylvie Belmond 
Image Credit: City of Simi Valley
Simi Valley Students Tackle Big Questions About Community Safety
(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) — Nearly 100 local teens gathered at the Reagan Presidential Library on Feb. 23 to tackle a big question: how do you make a school, a neighborhood and a community safer?
Students spent the day sharing ideas, discussing real challenges, and exploring solutions that could make a difference both on campus and beyond.
It was a reminder that some of the most thoughtful ideas about community safety are coming from the next generation.
The event was the Simi Valley Youth Council’s second annual Youth Impact Forum, themed “Voices for Impact: Addressing Youth Safety in Our Community.” Students ages 13 to 18 moved through keynote presentations, panel discussions and breakout sessions designed to help them bring new ideas back to their campuses.
Later that evening, Youth Council member Nandhiha Krishnamoorthi, a senior at Simi Valley High School, delivered an update to the City Council describing how the forum fit into a busy month for the group.
“It is because of your investment in us that I can share the progress of our hard-working members and the initiatives we pursue to support our community’s youth,” she said.
February included four Youth Council events.
On Feb. 4, members joined a Ventura County Office of Education civics tour field trip. Students visited locations including California Lutheran University, where they spoke with local leaders and heard how city officials became involved in public service.
On Feb. 6, Youth Council Chair Jasleen Khangura and Nandhiha spoke to Leadership Simi Valley at the Simi Valley Public Library. They shared the impact of several Youth Council initiatives, including a rock painting night that raised hundreds of dollars for suicide prevention, the annual community talent show and the Youth Impact Forum.
On Feb. 20, the Youth Council hosted a “Betting on Our Future” webinar as part of the Friday Night Live program. The session focused on the risks of youth gambling and how habits formed early can lead to addiction later in life.
The Youth Council’s Wellness Committee helped lead the presentation and introduced current initiatives and ways students can get involved. A guest speaker guided participants through a discussion about why people spend money and how gambling behaviors develop. The conversation also explored how social media, video games and sports betting apps can expose young people to gambling patterns.
Then came Feb. 23.
At the Reagan Library forum, Youth Council members hosted 84 students and more than 20 dignitaries from Simi Valley middle and high schools, along with students from Westlake High School and Oak Park High School.
“The goal of this event was to give students the necessary skills to develop an initiative to take back to their schools,” Nandhiha told the council.
Speakers included Giavanna Pitts, president of the Moorpark College Black Student Union; Frankie Cohen, executive director of GiGi’s Playhouse; Dr. Angelica Chavez, principal at Oxnard Middle College High School; and Detective Kellyn King of the Simi Valley Police Department.
One session focused on civic participation. Assistant City Manager Heather Sumagaysay and Santa Susana High School ASB President Gracy Kim walked students through practical skills such as conducting school surveys and making effective public comments at city council or school board meetings.
By the end of the forum, students and community leaders had collaborated on action plans aimed at improving safety in their schools and neighborhoods.
“To ensure this work continues, the youth council is scheduling follow-up meetings to help these students implement their action plans and go beyond what they learn today,” Nandhiha said.
Councilmembers who attended the event said the students’ leadership stood out.
“It was a completely impressive thing this morning,” said Councilmember Rocky Rhodes, who added that Youth Council presentations are “a masterclass on how reports are supposed to be made to council.”
Councilmember Elaine Litster said she was struck by the purpose behind the day’s structure.
“What a great gathering,” Litster said, praising “the purposefulness of what was planned” and the focus on bringing students together to work toward solutions.
Councilmember Joseph Ayala recalled spending time with freshmen during the breakout sessions. He noted that many of the students sounded less like freshmen and more like adults presenting thoughtful ideas.
Mayor Dee Dee Cavanaugh, in a statement, said the Youth Council reflects how young people are already shaping their communities.
“Our young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow, they are actively leading today,” Cavanaugh said. “When we create opportunities for students to share their perspectives and engage in conversations about issues that affect them, we strengthen our entire community.”
For Nandhiha, the experience has also been personal. She said her experience with the Youth Council has strengthened her commitment to the community.
The Youth Council’s next events include the third annual Routes and Rhythm multicultural night on March 20 at Santa Susana High School and the eighth annual Community Talent Show on April 11, the group’s largest fundraiser.
Students interested in getting involved and residents who are curious to see how young people are turning ideas into action can attend a Youth Council meeting at Simi Valley City Hall from 5 to 6:15 p.m., where the group continues shaping programs and initiatives aimed at strengthening the community.
