James DeVita  I would promote after school clubs and activities.

Julie Farnam Success begins with defining what we hope to achieve with the teen and youth  programming. Beyond that, the County must engage with teens, youth, and their  parents to understand what programs they want. There will be no success without 

close collaboration with all stakeholders involved.  

Implementation and success require a plan, articulated goals, and defined milestones  to measure outcomes. I would work collaboratively to ensure these steps occur,  reassessing along the way to make sure we stay on track and that our teens and  youth—and the community as a whole—reap the benefits of this investment.  

Success will also not be achieved immediately, and to ensure achievement, we need  to be looking beyond FY25. We must be asking now how we will sustain funding for these programs in the long term. As someone who has worked for nearly twenty  years in the federal government, I know there is federal funding available for  programs, mental health services, and drug treatment, but we need to request it. I  propose reallocating two long vacant County staff positions to hire grant writers to  assist the County in applying for funding.

Tenley Peterson The Coronavirus pandemic had a significant and lasting impact on our current school-age population. Learning loss from the pandemic is real and we need to have a comprehensive solution to address these losses and mitigate them. During my time on the Fiscal Affairs Advisory Commission, I worked closely with the leadership in the Department of Human Services to understand their requirements and also their ongoing collaboration with APS to address youth needs. We must identify and implement innovative solutions to ensure our school-age population has the essential, foundational elements of education to ensure success as they pursue their post-APS path. 

The County can collaborate with APS to offer programming at our Community Centers, Libraries, and Nature Centers. We must fund DHS to provide sufficient case workers for youth with mental health needs. We need to provide after-school programming so teens can be engaged and supervised. As an elected leader, I would expect that we are tracking performance metrics for these programs to determine what’s working well and what is not. While Chair of FAAC, I commissioned a report on the County’s performance measures, so this is a priority of mine.

Natalie U. Roy One way to ensure success is to make sure the teen and youth programming for FY 2025 is  robust, well publicized (in Spanish and English) and accessible county-wide. There needs to  active public engagement in all neighborhoods so that every Arlington community is aware  of the various opportunities available to our teens and youth.  

Other things I would do as a County Board member on this front include: • Working with other CB and SB members to develop mentorship opportunities for  APS students via a community and business partnership program; 

• Establishing a young leadership program facilitating internships and volunteer opportunities for middle and high schoolers with local companies and  non-profit organizations;  

• Exploring establishing mentorship opportunities for APS students via a community  and business partnership program; and  

• Enhancing the County’s support for the County’s Teen Network Board, a County &  School Board-appointed teen advocacy group comprised of high school and home  school students, from different backgrounds and parts of the county. This Board  provides a voice for young people in Arlington. 

Julius D. “JD” Spain,  Sr. Investing in teen and youth programming is a crucial step towards addressing  the rising mental health and physical safety concerns among our young  population in Arlington. Our children need safe and engaging spaces to learn,  play, and develop skills in a collaborative environment. To create a healthier and  more inclusive community, I propose expanding our county's park system  recreational offerings, after-school programs, and job opportunities that  promote confidence and community building. Together, let's take a step  towards a brighter future for our children and our community as a whole.