The newsletter provides updates from the Washington Legislative Youth Advisory Council (LYAC). It introduces the new leadership team and discusses opportunities the council has participated in, including providing input on sex education curriculum and assisting with selecting the 2020 Washington State Teacher of the Year. It also announces upcoming events for students, including joining the Youth Ambassador Program to visit the state capitol and advocating for issues, as well as submitting stories to the annual "From Seed to Apple" publication about educational experiences.

1. Issue 1 | Vol 1
October 2019
Contact Us
Email: lyac.pr@gmail.com
Facebook: Washington LYAC
Instagram: @washingtonlyac
Twitter: @washingtonlyac
Website: LYAC.leg.wa.gov
Washington Legislative Youth Advisory Council
October Newsletter
Dear Washington youth,
LYAC has hit the ground running and getting a great start to this
year’s term. The leadership team, comprised of Vice Chair Nadine Gibson,
Legislative Affairs Director Daniel Tyshler, Public Relations Director
Meiqi Liang, and myself, Chair Jenna Yuan, are hard at work in our new
roles preparing the Council’s groups and committees to create the year’s
youth related focuses. With these focuses, LYAC will add a youth voice to
change-making conversations at the Capitol.
We also received a couple of exciting opportunities. Vice Chair
Nadine Gibson, and I were invited to speak with the Sexual Health
Education Program of the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
relating to more comprehensive and inclusive sex education. It was an
incredible opportunity to be able to truly advocate on pressing matter for
the youth of this state. Additionally, LYAC represented a youth voice on
the Teacher of the Year Selection Committee at OSPI for the statewide
Teach of the Year Award. The experience was engaging and a great
opportunity to recognize true talent and leadership.
As a council, we are excited for what lies ahead this year. We are
committed to our core mission of representing Washington's youth to the
fullest extent of our abilities and are looking forward to a wonderful,
successful 2020. We wish you a very happy and productive fall season!
Sincerely,
Jenna Yuan
Chair
Washington Legislative Youth Advisory Council

2. September Council Meeting
Last month, the 2019-2020 WA LYAC council met for the first
time at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia, WA. Eleven
new members: Ailani Baldwin, Baeza Lakew, Isaac Yi, Jaelyn
Sotelo, Jonathan Mulenga, Kellen Hoard, Lily Medway, Lily
Villa, Lucash Uniack, Matthew Gardner, and Yubi Mamiya were
welcomed to the council. During the meeting, the council
received training in advocacy and ethics. A special thank you to
Civic Education Director, Paula Rehwaldt for attending the
meeting and teaching the council about the legislative process.
The council also established this year’s legislative priorities.
These issues were broken down into four categories that affect
youth statewide: education, justice, civic education, and health.
As the year progresses, council members will research bills and
solutions related to these issues to best benefit the youth of
Washington.
Calling All Students!
The Washington State
Legislative Youth Advisory
Council is searching for
students interesting in joining
our Youth Ambassador
Program! Ambassadors will
have the opportunity to visit
the state capitol during Action
Day in January 2020 to learn
about civic engagement,
network with students from
all four corners of the state,
and lobby for issues they are
passionate about. This
program is open to all
students and youth centric
organizations interested. Visit
walyac.weebly.com/action-
day for more information on
how to join.

3. This year, WA LYAC was invited once again to sit on
the selection committee of the OSPI Teacher of the
Year program. Chair, Jenna Yuan and Director of
Public Relations, Meiqi Liang represented the council
on the selection committee. The committee,
comprised of educators and leaders in the public
education system, interviewed ten regional finalists
for the Teacher of the Year Award. After interviewing
each of the candidates, the committee selected Helen
Baller Elementary teacher, Amy Campbell as the 2020
Washington Teacher of the Year.
From Seed to Apple is an annual collection of stories
published by the Office of Superintendent of Public
Instruction featuring the Washington Teachers of
the Year. Students are encouraged to submit a story
about an educational experience that has impacted
them to be published in the collection. If you have a
story about education that has affected you, submit
your anecdote by 5 pm on October 22nd
!
Interested in sharing your
story in the 10-year
Anniversary edition of
From Seed to Apple? This
state-wide publication will
be available online and
through Barnes and Noble
for the world to see. The
application is open to all
students and parents who
have a story to share and
would like to contribute.
Visit http://bit.ly/S2AWRITER
to submit your entry!
Deadline closes on Tues,
October 22nd
, 2019 at 5 pm.
OSPI Teacher of the Year
From Seed to Apple