Recruitment and Selection

Logistics:

Potential youth representatives apply for positions in all of the Wisconsin examples. Applications are reviewed by board members, Extension staff, and or other community representatives.  School staff play a key role in distributing applications and recommending students, though publicity through newsletters and media is also employed. Existing board members also make classroom presentations in many communities to recruit new applicants.

Suggested Practices

Age: Evaluation has indicated that high school freshman and sophomores are desirable recruits so that they may serve multiple years and gain the required experience to be effective representatives.

Diverse Representation: Youth on boards programs in Wisconsin have attracted high achieving students who often hold school leadership positions, like student council. While these youth bring important skills learned in these roles, they may not represent the ethnic and socio-economic diversity of their communities. This limits the range of input and also reduces the reach of leadership development.

Ways to overcome this may include asking teachers or others inviting youth to participate to recommend diverse students, or to focus on those who are likely to remain in the community after high school. Selection may also be based on place of residence, seeking both rural and urban representatives, for example. Washburn County, among others, appoints representatives by district, which ensures geographic distribution.