Calling Kane County High School Students!
As Board Chairman of a member county of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), Karen McConnaughay is encouraging Kane County teens who want to learn about and contribute to a better future for our region to take advantage of a free leadership development opportunity being made available to them through the agency.
Applications for CMAP's 2011-2011 Future Leaders in Planning, or FLIP, program are being accepted through Monday, Sept. 12. Participants in FLIP will learn more about the northeastern region and share their thoughts with other teens from Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties while meeting and interacting with selected regional leaders who make key planning decisions in our communities.
The FLIP program begins in September and continues through early May, 2012. All participants should commit to one orientation session, one full-day retreat, five Saturday all-day sessions, and one weeknight for the Final Presentation. The five Saturday sessions will begin at 9:30 a.m. and end at 4:00 p.m. The sessions will be chaperoned by CMAP staff. The retreat will focus on building trust and a positive group dynamic. All sessions will begin and end at CMAP offices in the Willis Tower, 233 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 800, Chicago. Financial assistance for travel is available to students who require it. Attendance at all meetings is strongly encouraged. Participation in the retreat is mandatory.
As part of the educational component of FLIP, participants regularly write reflections relating what they learn from session activities to what they see in their own communities.
CMAP is the official regional planning organization for the northeastern Illinois counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will. CMAP developed and now guides the implementation of GO TO 2040, metropolitan Chicago's first comprehensive regional plan in more than 100 years. To address anticipated population growth of more than 2 million new residents, GO TO 2040 establishes coordinated strategies that help the region's 284 communities address transportation, housing, economic development, open space, the environment, and other quality-of-life issues.
Montgomery Village President Marilyn Michelini is Kane County's CMAP board representative. Formed in 2005, CMAP integrates planning for land use and transportation in the seven counties of northeastern Illinois region.
Participants in the 2011- 2012 program will learn about past, present, and future regional issues from elected officials, community leaders, and CMAP staff. Through multimedia tools, interactive activities, and field trips, students will go �behind the scenes� to explore our region�s com�munities. Not only will they learn how the region works, but also contribute their own ideas about how residents� lives can be improved through better planning. Students will meet and work with planners and architects to under�stand and apply fundamental principles of coordinated planning and government. Through exercises and excursions, participants will explore the benefits and challenges of planning issues includ�ing transportation, air quality, human services, land use, and water supply. In addition to learning how local governments interact to address these important regional needs, students will also have opportunities to engage with other students to think about the ways planning could be improved.
This year, students will work on a project that will empower them to improve the sustainability of communities in the region. To apply, students must be in high school during the 2011-2012 school year, reside in one of the seven counties in Northeastern Illinois and possess a desire and interest to learn more about the region and our communities.
In addition to completing an application form, students must submit an essay explaining, among other things, how they envision our region in 2040. A reference form that must be completed by a teacher, counselor, mentor or community leader must accompany each application. A selection committee composed of CMAP representatives will review the applications. Consideration is given to students who demonstrate a combination of factors, including level of interest, critical thinking skills, and community involvement. In addi�tion, each student�s application essay and reference letter will contribute to final decisions. Because of the program�s mission, an effort is made to have a diverse group of students.
More information about FLIP is available at www.cmap.illinois.gov/flip.aspx or by contacting Andrew Williams-Clark 312-386-8770 awilliamsclark@cmap.illinois.gov
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