Christina Lee & Angela Lo: Teens Should Have A Say So

In today's society, every decision seems to come from an adult. Don't we have something valuable to contribute?

At the Sunset Teen Advisory Council (STAC), we believe every teen has an opinion that needs to be heard. In fact, the council is run by teens, such as ourselves, for the benefit of youth throughout the City.

The recently-founded teen council was created exclusively for the Sunset District. We are supported by the SF Public Library (SFPL) and funded by the Friends of the Library.

Our committee gives youth the chance to decide what programs and materials we would like to see at the library. It also allows us to decide what programs we think would interest other teens and ourselves, such as yoga or tarot card classes. We choose books, videos, DVDs and CDs for the library's collection. Our opinions are heard and carried out, which is so rare in our community. Imagine a campaign where we took over the world. OK, that might be going too far.

All of the monthly STAC meetings are casual and fun. Sometimes we even forget we are doing work. Surrounded by friends (and food), it seems more like hanging out.

What's not to like about the STAC? By giving an opportunity for teens to do something, we're building a strong sense of leadership. Who knows, maybe the next president will be a former member of STAC.

Our goals are to raise teen interest and awareness in the library. At an age where MTV and the media guide our age group, it is important to offer young people sources of knowledge to foster their minds to create a generation of exceptional people. Although work is involved, we do have lots of fun.

If you're interested in participating or would like more information about STAC, e-mail Katie at sfplstac@hotmail.com or call your local branch library. We look forward to meeting you!

Christina Lee and Angela Lo are members of STAC.