Youth Advisory Committee
The Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) will empower Minnesota teens to actively shape America’s Future Summit, contributing ideas, feedback, and leadership to make the event relevant, engaging, and impactful for student participants. This committee provides an ongoing teen voice in planning, outreach, and program design.
Membership Overview
Who: 10–15 high school students from across Minnesota
Selection: AFS26 participants; diversity in background, grade, geography, ideology, and interests
Term: One year (May 2026 to March 2027)
Support: Adult staff liaison will mentor members, provide guidance, and facilitate logistics
General Responsibilities
Committee members will:
Advise on Summit design
Suggest focus topic(s), interactive formats, and recruitment strategy
Provide feedback on scheduling, communications, and inclusivity
Assist with outreach
Help recruit teams and peers to participate
Share event details via school, clubs, and social media
Support peer engagement
Act as Summit Ambassadors at the Summit
Provide mentorship to new participants during the event
Reflect & Evaluate
Collect feedback from Summit attendees
Recommend improvements for future years
Member Roles
1. Chair / Co-Chairs (1–2 students)
Lead committee meetings and discussions
Serve as primary teen spokesperson to Summit organizers
Help set agendas in collaboration with adult liaison
Ensure all members have opportunities to contribute
2. Vice Chair / Deputy (1 student)
Support Chair(s) in running meetings
Step in if Chair is unavailable
Coordinate follow-ups on action items
3. Secretary / Communications Lead (1–2 students)
Take notes during meetings and track decisions
Maintain a shared repository of resources, plans, and updates
Draft summaries or announcements for the broader teen audience
4. Outreach & Recruitment Lead (1–2 students)
Develop a strategy for the full YAC to promote the Summit to peers and schools to recruit new participants and applicants for next year
Develop social media, flyers, and school club communications for distribution to YAC members for outreach in their communities
5. Program & Engagement Lead (1–2 students)
Advise on session topics, activities, and team challenges
Gather peer feedback on past Summit experiences
Suggest ways to make programming more interactive and inclusive
6. Mentorship / Peer Support Lead (1 student)
Connect with participating teams during the Summit
Offer guidance, encouragement, and support
Ensure new participants feel included and engaged
7. General Members (remaining members)
Contribute ideas and feedback in all areas
Participate in outreach, brainstorming, and evaluation
Take on short-term roles for specific projects as needed
Meeting Frequency & Format
Quarterly virtual meetings (1 hour each)
Two in-person, half-day planning sessions on weekend days aligned with Summit milestones (optional travel support provided)
Ad-hoc feedback opportunities via email or short surveys
Mentorship check-ins available upon request
Meetings will include interactive discussions, brainstorming sessions, and Summit updates.
Expectations & Requirements
Commitment to active participation in at least 75% of scheduled meetings
Willingness to provide constructive feedback
Represent peers respectfully and professionally
Engage in at least one outreach or mentoring activity per Summit cycle
Notify adult liaison if unable to attend meetings
Benefits of Participation
Leadership experience: Develop teamwork, project planning, and public speaking skills
Networking: Connect with a pluralistic group of peers, civic leaders, and Summit mentors
Resume/College readiness: Committee service demonstrates initiative and civic engagement
Direct impact: Help shape programming and resources that affect hundreds of Minnesota teens
Mentorship & support: Personalized guidance from Summit organizers and adult advisors
Full Scholarship for AFS27
Timeline
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 from 6-7PM CT: Committee kickoff & orientation
June 2026 (date and time TBD based on group availability): Review Summit outcomes, provide feedback on reports
July–August 2026: Brainstorm improvements & contribute to outreach strategy
September–December 2026: Advise on programming & participant engagement
January–March 2027: Support Summit execution, mentor participants, evaluate results