City of Dunwoody initiates Teen Town Hall for Dunwoody High School Students - Thursday Noon to 4 pm #teentownhall #DwdyTTH15

Dunwoody Teen Town Hall – December 3, 2015

KEY OBJECTIVES:

·         Engage students in public administration/management, decision making, and local government to generate ideas, take pulse/attitudes of students;

·         Create an event that is educational, informational and interactive;

·         Give students a chance to participate/have their voice heard

TIMELINE:

·         12:00 to 1:30 Dunwoody City Staff Set-Up on site in DHS gym

·         Accommodate two large groupings of students (students in classes: Government/civics, mass communications, finance/marketing) over two primary “shifts” and one Open House at the end of the school day:

o   1:40 to 2:25 (first group of approximately 100 – 120 students)

o   2:25 to 2:30 Transition between groups

o   2:30 to 3:15 (second group of approximately 100 – 120 students)

o   3:20 to 4:00 (Open House: stations for all interested students staying after school)

PROGRAM

·         LOCATION: DHS Gym

·         FIVE different stations of activities; each sub-group gets a 15 minute session at THREE different stations

o   Perks for Parks – students provide ideas on park improvements and new amenities, wants and needs

o   Ideas for Infrastructure – students provide insights into issues and solutions for the city’s roads, traffic, transit, sidewalks, etc.

o   Development for Tomorrow – students provide ideas on growth, development and what they would like to see in Dunwoody, what would make them stay

o   Police Department Dialogue - students form into mini-teams and discuss community safety issues and priorities

o   Interactive Experience – Video statements & questions (statements to city leaders/questions for city leaders); record a Vine; post an Instagram; Send a Snapchat story (#teentownhall #DwdyTTH15)

·         City Staff on hand to staff stations, go through presentations/exercises or answer questions

HOW IT WORKS

·         Students spend 15 minutes at each station and participate in 3 rotations (each student would participate in 3 of the 5 stations).  

·         Mr. Berry and Mr. Boucher distributing signup sheet to students and working to secure even numbers at each station for each rotation.  

·         Teachers exploring potential post-event activities in class the following day where students from each group redeliver what they learned to the students who did not get to that station.

PARTICIPANTS

·         1st Session - Mr. Ward's 1st & 2nd period Accelerated/Gifted Civics classes and Mr. Aranson's 4th period Accelerated/Gifted Civics class (approx. 100 students; all 9th graders).  

·         2nd Session - Mr. Boucher's 1st & 2nd period AP Government & Politics classes, Mr. Berry’s 2nd period Constitutional Theory class and Mr. Fortenberry's 4th period Finance class (approx. 120 students; grades 10-12).

*All students from Ward, Boucher & Berry would receive a field trip permission form that allows them to leave their 4th period class to participate during their sessions.