Youth Planning Team

The Heart of the Youth Leadership Conference

The 2019 Youth Planning Team in a group huddle.

The Youth Planning Team is a group of committed high school aged students from across Maine who bring their individual knowledge and experiences to create a dynamic conference for emerging young leaders from around the state. They determine the design, theme and course of the entire conference.

What’s it All About?

Each year, the annual two-day Youth Leadership Conference brings together over 300 youth leaders, adult allies, and community members. It’s a space that promotes the creativity, culture, and wisdom of young people, showcasing youth-driven action and providing meaningful opportunities for young people and adults to learn from one another.

Members of the Youth Planning Team will discover a community of young people from all over Maine who are passionate about making change and uplifting the voices of their peers. The Team’s purpose is to build relationships, leadership, and organizing skills to create a Youth Leadership Conference that centers on youth voice and provides opportunities to meaningfully connect. Together, they will play a central role in the design and hosting of this incredible event!

 

Meet the 2020 Youth Planning Team Members!

Jayden Fournier: Hi, my name is Jayden Fournier and I’m a freshman at Caribou High School. I enjoy playing golf, tennis, and games with my family. I believe that today’s youth can have just as much effect on the future as the adults of today. One thing that I think adults overlook is the mental state of teens. With that, I think that we should work together and engage in more productive ways of getting the government’s attention to make our voices heard.

Kennady Savage: Hi! My name is Kennady Savage, I’m 17 years old and a Senior at Sacopeevalley Highschool. I am so excited to be a part of the MYAN Conference for the 4th year! I run a blog and Instagram that talks about Body Positivity and learning to love yourself. Youth leadership is really important to me. It has helped me navigate my future and feel right in the world by helping people. 
 
Idey Abdi: My name is Idey Abdi. I am a senior at Lewiston High School. I am interested in either working with animals or in the government. Youth voices are important because we are the leaders of the future, so it is important that our voices are being heard. 
 
Will Fournier: 11th grade, Gray-New Gloucester high-school. I am an IB diploma candidate, varsity runner 3 seasons, and do a lot of other work for MYAN! You may have seen me on the Cumberland and Statewide Youth Policy Boards!
 
Lauren Sylvester: I am going to be a senior at Hall-Dale High School in Farmingdale. In school I have been an active member in the Environmental Club and this year I am the president of our Key Club. Outside of school my passion is dance. I have been dancing since I was 8 years old and now, I am also an assistant teacher at my studio! I think youth voices, especially in Maine, are a force to be reckoned with, and I am so thankful to be a part of such a driven and dedicated generation!
 
Abbie Young: Hi! My name is Abbie, and I am currently a sophomore at Ellsworth High School. I am the youth representative for the Hancock county Drug Free Communities Coalition and involved with the gender sexuality diversity alliance at my high school. In addition to this, I run cross country and track, play, and help coach chess, and am a member of my school’s band. This is my second year on the Youth Planning Team.
 
Kylie Thibodeau: Hello! I am Kylie Thibodeau! I am a first-year freshman at the Maine School of Science and Mathematics. My favorite animals are chickens because I have five of them. They are Poodle, Doodle, Mickey, Fluff, and Piper. They are about a year old. Some of my passions are painting, poetry, and people-watching, but I am also obsessed with fighting for equality. To specify, equality for women. The youth voice is so very important for the fight for feminism because we are the future. Meaning, we will create tomorrow’s world- not only will we create but we have also need to save tomorrow’s world. The fight for equality and climate change are hard ones, but our world is comprised of approximately 2.5 billion youths- who all have voices. Use your voice.
 
Lydia Stein: My name is Lydia Stein. I am from Portland Maine. I am a senior at Portland High School. If I am not in a science lab or the soccer/lacrosse field, you can find me part of teams like this one. I love being apart of something bigger than me and being able to make long lasting change in my community. I am a two year Captain of my high school soccer team and cannot wait for this season. I also love dogs, poetry, the ocean, hiking, music, dancing, family, and anything in nature. In the future I want to be a Trauma Surgeon and I want to travel the world offering free medical care. I also hope to live in Spain at sometime in my life! Youth Leadership is so important to me because my voice has been undermined my whole life and no one else should feel that way. We are not the generation. We are now and our voices matter now. I want to make sure that everyone is heard and that everyone feels powerful.
 
Izzy Lamb: Hi my name is Izzy Lamb. I am a junior at Washington Academy in East Machias Maine. I really enjoy reading and napping in the sunshine, and also engaging in educational conversations with people from all walks of life. Youth voices are incredibly important, especially now, to show our unique perspective and our drive for change. We will be heard.
 
Lilah McCormack: My name is Lilah McCormack, and I am a senior at Dexter Regional High School in Dexter, ME. My hobbies include reading, crafts, acting, film photography, field hockey, and tennis. I also enjoy watching films. My greatest passions are writing and community service work. I went to Seeds Of Peace for 2 years and I am an active Key Clubber. I am proud to be a youth activist and promote change. I know that the voices of Gen Z will be the ones to change the world for the better.
 
Tristan Seavey: My name is Tristan Seavey I’m from Calais. I am involved in my student council and GTSA. I’ve been a part of the YPT for 3 years. Youth leadership is important to me because as teenagers we are constantly told that we are the future, but I believe that we are the now. If we find our voice we are able to make the change that is important to us now.
 
Laila Adawadkar: Hi! My name is Laila Adawadkar and I’m a junior at Sanford High School. I am a member of my school’s civil right’s team, student council, and peer helpers team. I run track, sing for the jazz band, and am a member of the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps. I am thrilled to be a part of the Youth Planning Team. I have always had a passion for advocating for others and am currently looking at law for the future. After attending the MYAN youth leadership conference last year, I immediately fell in love with the environment, and knew I wanted to return in a leadership role. I am hoping to create that same feeling of empowerment for others. I believe that there is great value in youth leadership, and that everyone has the potential to use their voice. Our generation has the power to break down more barriers than ever! I look forward to working with all of you!

 

What Does The YPT Do?

Over the course of 8-months, the Youth Planning Team will work collaboratively on multiple aspects of our 2-day Youth Leadership Conference: Identifying presenters, recruitment & outreach support, creating facilitation guides for “Home Teams,” and more. During the event, the YPT will take on many roles, such as speech writing, public speaking opportunities, photographing the event, dialogue sessions, hosting Podcast sessions and leading team-building activities.

The 2018 Youth Planning Team