North Cook News

Village of Arlington Heights Youth Commission met Sept. 18

Here are the minutes provided by the commission:

I. CALL TO ORDER

Chair Son called the meeting to order at 6:18 p.m. All stood for the Pledge of Allegiance.

II. ROLL CALL

Present Also Present

Alice Son, Chair Mila Tsagalis, Liaison

Matt Healy Kimberly Witt, Administrative Assistant

Taryn Holdman

Alejandria Galarza Absent

Maria Georgakopoulas Colin Smith

Christopher Hong Riley Phillips

Alejandria Galarza Aleena Patel

Sydney Galla

Chair Son acknowledged Jennifer Borrell for her dedication and contributions to the Commission and for her support of its activities. Ms. Borrell attended her final meeting in August. Chair Son then introduced new member Alejandria Galarza who then introduced herself to the Commission.

III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

A. Minutes from August 28, 2025

A motion was made by Commissioner McQuade to approve the minutes of the August 28, 2025 meeting, seconded by Commissioner Hong and approved by unanimous consent.

IV. REPORTS

A. Library

Ms. Galarza reported that the library completed its first month of Tinker Days school visits. She noted upcoming tabling at high school football games in October and advised commissioners to attend. She also stated that the second floor is closed for construction for approximately five weeks, with study rooms and group study tables available in the Hub.

B. Park District

Commissioner Healy reported on ongoing construction at the Ridge Center, noting that the indoor pools are expected to open in a few weeks. He highlighted that Pioneer Park remains popular, with early-morning swimmers braving cooler temperatures. He also shared upcoming fall programs and events, including Oktoberfest on the museum grounds, the Autumn Harvest Festival, and the grand opening of the Recreation Park skate park on Thursday, October 2, which will feature a DJ, giveaways, and a taco food truck. Commissioner Healy noted that the skate park event is scheduled from 5:00 to 6:30 PM and coincides with the school day

C. Police Department

Commissioner Holdman reported that there were no updates at this time.

D. Schools

No report.

E. Members at Large

Commissioners Hong and Georgakopoulas, Buffalo Grove High School, reported that state testing has concluded. Homecoming is scheduled for next Saturday, and parking lot construction is nearing completion.

Commissioner McQuade from Hersey High School reported that their construction at the school was completed before the start of the year, providing a modernized entry area with additional seating and a redesigned counseling center. State testing is finished, and students are settling into the school year with quizzes and unit tests underway.

ROTC has held five evening classes with strong participation, particularly from Elk Grove students. The focus has been on drill, platoon organization, and leadership development. The first team event, orienteering at Freeport, is scheduled within the next two weeks. Leadership roles have been assumed, and staff meetings have been positive.

Commissioners Gala reported that their Homecoming is scheduled for this Saturday.

V. OLD BUSINESS

A. Lawn Mowing & Snow Shoveling Referral Program

Chair Son noted that there was limited promotion of the program over the summer following the Teen Job Fair and that she did not have numbers to report at this meeting. She also mentioned that the Snow Shoveling Referral Program will be starting soon and will likely be discussed at the next meeting.

There was discussion about adding a raking/yard clean-up program. Chair Son suggested having one application for all referral programs so teens would only need to complete it once. Feedback was positive, as this approach would save time and could encourage more teens to apply. Additionally, the Commission discussed providing applicants with bi-monthly text or email reminders to promote the season programs, as well as sending out a tip sheet to help applicants through the process.

Commissioner McQuade made a motion to add Leaf Raking to the Lawn Mowing / Snow Shoveling application, Commissioner Hong seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

B. Teen Job Fair

Chair Son noted that the Teen Job Fair is scheduled for Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at the Arlington Ridge Center. She mentioned that she inherited the list of businesses when she became Chair and suggested starting fresh with a new list. Commission members recommended several businesses to contact, including Raising Cane’s, Jewel, Chipotle, Chick-fil-A, Pet Supplies Plus, Target, Dairy Queen, Mariano’s, and Gerry’s Café, as well as reaching out to the person in charge of internship opportunities.

It was suggested that the invitation letter to businesses include a QR code for registration and additional information about participating in the Teen Job Fair. Chair Son will distribute an electronic copy of the letter to the Commissioners so they can begin sending it out.

Chair Son reviewed the application process and the questions for businesses applying to participate. She asked the Commissioners if they had any questions or suggestions for additions, and all agreed that the application looked appropriate as presented.

C. ACT/SAT and College Prep Resources

Chair Son asked the Commissioners to share what academic resources are available at their schools. Commissioner Hong reported that Buffalo Grove High School recently started an after-school and before-school study program where students purchase a study guide and attend sessions for additional help and practice tests. Commissioner McQuade shared that Hersey High School offers a similar program consisting of three-hour classes held twice a week for three weeks.

Liaison Tsagalis distributed literature from the GPS Parent Series, which features a free weekly lineup of renowned speakers who present evidence-based strategies to support positive youth development and family well-being. Chair Son suggested exploring partnership opportunities with the program. Ms. Tsagalis recommended that if the Commissioners are interested in one or two of the events, they could consider sponsoring them and promoting the events on social media. She also mentioned she would check whether the events are recorded so parents can view them at their convenience.

Commissioner Hong added that he recently took the SAT and noted that some of his peers were unsure how to register for tests outside of those administered at school. Chair Son mentioned that the library’s College Knowledge program provides college preparation resources and information.

VI. NEW BUSINESS

A. E-bikes and Scooters

Ms. Tsagalis reported that the Village Board recently adopted an ordinance regulating e- bikes, scooters, and other vehicles that goes beyond state laws. She asked the Commission for feedback and ideas on how to share the information with the community.

The following issues and recommendations were discussed:

• E-Bike/Scooter Classification – Commissioners noted confusion about different classes.

Recommendation: Require all vehicles to be clearly labeled with their classification.

• Public Education – More outreach is needed for teens and parents.

Recommendation: Tag bikes and scooters in school lots with QR codes linking to information, and share visual materials with pictures and ordinance details on social media.

• Rules of the Road – Many youths are unaware of laws for e-bikes and scooters.

Recommendation: Encourage or require education for all riders, similar to school bike safety programs.

• Cargo and Passengers – Large bags and passengers may create safety risks.

Recommendation: Consider further regulation if needed.

Commissioners also observed that many riders, especially scooter users, are not following traffic rules and often ride recklessly, raising safety concerns.

B. Volunteer Ideas for Commission

The Commission discussed several volunteer opportunities, including the Healthy Kids Running Series. Commissioner Hong shared his passion project to ban unregulated THC products and mentioned he may seek the Commission’s support in sharing information with schools and throughout the district. Ms. Tsagalis noted that if this issue advances to a Village ordinance, Commissioner Hong could provide a public comment at a Village Board meeting.

VII. OTHER BUSINESS

A. Announcements / Correspondence

Ms. Tsagalis announced that the Senior Center has a nice partnership with School District 214 and that on Monday, seniors will participate in a “Back to School” event at Hersey High School. Participants will travel by bus from the Senior Center to the school, follow a student schedule, have lunch, and learn about current academic requirements to experience how school life has changed since they attended. She also noted that the Senior Center is organizing Senior Olympics and student performances, highlighting the positive connection between seniors and students.

B. Youth Commission Group Photo

VIII. PUBLIC COMMENT

IX. ADJOURNMENT

Commissioner McQuade, seconded by Commissioner Hong, moved to adjourn at 7:40 p.m. all concurred and the motion carried unanimously.

https://arlingtonheightsil.portal.civicclerk.com/event/5828/files/attachment/2704