County Lends Teens Its Ears

Conference Focuses On Youth Priorities

Two hundred Loudoun County teenagers gathered last week at the Dulles headquarters of America Online Inc. and listened to inspirational messages from AOL Vice Chairman Ted Leonsis, to a motivational speaker flown in from Arizona and a streaming video version of first lady Laura Bush.

Before the morning was over, though, the adults sat down and 18-year-old Nicole Poltash, chairman of the Loudoun Youth Advisory Council, took the helm. She laid out some ground rules for the afternoon as the students, missing a day of chemistry or algebra classes, were put to the task of creating a road map for youth services in Loudoun.

"Adults are here to listen," said Poltash, a senior at Broad Run High School in Ashburn. "Too often, decisions are made about youth without their input."  Read the whole story in The Washington Post.

Step Up Event Sparks Discussion Among Teens

Read the article in the Leesburg Today.

Students Discuss Change

Annual Step Up event aims to make teens part of the solution.

Read the article in the Connection Newspaper.