Youth Issues

By Heather Fargo

What does that mean: Parks and recreation programs, pools including swimming lessons, libraries with computer labs and literacy programs, after school programs, attendance centers, the Mayor's Summer Reading Program, and ensuring that there are educational opportunities for our young people when they reach adulthood.

Mayor Fargo believes that keeping young people busy and productive is the way to make them successful in the long term.

With Mayor Fargo's support, a new nursing school opened in Natomas. A Medical Professions High School was established. The Los Rios Community College District has developed a "green curriculum" to prepare our workforce for the future. The city working with community partners has opened 3 Attendance Centers that have an 85% success rate in getting young people out of trouble, off the streets, and back in school. In her third term, the Mayor will work to expand on this program's success.

The Mayor also worked to create the city Office of Youth Development which focuses on gang prevention, teaching basic life skills, mentoring, and provides a support structure for Sacramento's young people. This program is less than a year old, and the Mayor will work to make this program a role model for the whole country in a third term.