Editor’s note: The following is a press release from the City of Bloomington. Bloom has published it here in its entirety with minor edits for clarity and style.

The City of Bloomington Commission on the Status of Children and Youth (CSCY) invites high school-aged students to participate in the third annual Teen Roundtable. 

Taking place over two Sundays in October, the Teen Roundtable will convene 12 local high school students to discuss local, national, and global issues. In keeping with current public health guidelines, this year’s Teen Roundtable will meet over Zoom video conferencing on October 18 and 25 at noon. 

Applications may be found at www.bloomington.in.gov/cscy or in the Community and Family Resources Department at City Hall (401 N. Morton St., Suite 260). The application deadline is October 11.

The Teen Roundtable is an opportunity for high school students to share their opinions about current affairs—especially issues affecting teens in our community—in order to begin to envision and make positive steps toward the community of the future. Topics for discussion may include the COVID-19 pandemic, the racialized character of police violence, the climate emergency, and youth activism toward solutions. 

While comments made at the roundtable discussions remain confidential and anonymous, generalized findings are reported to the Bloomington Common Council as a way of providing a youth perspective for policy decisions. The Teen Roundtable report is also shared with the Monroe County Community School Corporation.

The Bloomington Commission on the Status of Children and Youth exists to promote connections in our community that empower, enhance and nurture children and youth. The Commission accesses resources and information to make recommendations to people and organizations with authority to create and support systems that encourage healthy development of children and youth. More information is available at www.bloomington.in.gov/cscy