The Valley Water Youth Commission is made up of 21 high school students throughout Santa Clara County, each appointed by one of the seven board members. It is an official board advisory committee that assists the board with public policy, education, outreach, and all matters impacting Santa Clara County youth. The Youth Commission meets quarterly and each commissioner serves a 2-year term.
Eligibility requirements:
- High school student (ages 13-18).
- A resident of Santa Clara County
- Able to commit 5 hours per month
- Available to attend in-person meetings and events
Find your district:
Find your home address in the Local Information map and expand the SCVWD Board of Directors Districts section. If you see multiple districts listed, find the one that is zero miles ("0 mi" on the map) from your address.
The Youth Commission is currently full, but you can still get involved. See the "Events" section below for upcoming events, or email us at [email protected].
May 20, 2023: National River Cleanup Day (registration opens soon!)
Have you heard that Santa Clara County is experiencing severe drought?
On June 9, 2021, Valley Water’s Board of Directors declared a water shortage emergency condition in Santa Clara County due to the extreme drought. The Board of Directors also called for a mandatory 15% reduction in water use compared to 2019.
The Valley Water Youth Commission invites you to join our Drought Awareness Campaign to engage your community in saving water every day. We've put together a Drought Awareness Campaign Toolkit that contains different resources for you to use. Together we can raise awareness about the drought and protect our precious water resources.
Step 1 - Learn about the drought
Locally, a meager .01 inches of rain fell in San José during January and February, the driest first two months of the year on record. San Jose averages about 5.25 inches of rain combined during these months.
Visit our Drought Information Page for the latest drought news, water-saving tips, and links to important resources in Santa Clara County.
For current drought conditions in the Western United States, click here.
Step 2 - Drought Awareness Campaign Toolkit Guide
Read the Drought Awareness Campaign Toolkit Guide to learn how you can join us in our campaign.
Step 3 - Drought Awareness Campaign Resources
Social Media:
Check out Valley Water's Instagram @SCVWD and engage with our Youth Commission campaign posts.
Download one or all four of our animal-themed posts and share them on your own profile.
Videos:
Watch and share these educational videos.
Carla The Conscious Conservationist Video (English)
Carla The Conscious Conservationist Video (Spanish)
Sam Saves Water! (coming soon)
Water Conservation Pledge Video (coming soon)
Conservation Pledge Poster (coming soon)
Print out the Water conservation Pledge Poster and invite your community to sign their names and save water every day.
Other Water Saving Resources
Watersavings.org - Save water and save money through our water conservation and rebate programs.
Education Outreach - Learn more about our water education programs and events. It's never too early for children to begin understanding and appreciating their local water resources.
Mini-Grants Program - Invite your school to apply for a mini-grant to help fund water-saving projects.
Purification Center Tour - Coordinate a tour of the Silicon Valley Advanced Water Purification Center for your class or group.
Public Art
The Public Art Program aims to repurpose and beautify Valley Water’s infrastructure and to help deter trash, debris, and graffiti near creeks. Valley Water works in collaboration with the community and local artists to revitalize Valley Water’s infrastructure through expressive artwork. The program is part of the Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program, which provides up to $1.5 million over 15 years to install and maintain public art projects, such as murals on Valley Water property.
The Youth Commission's Public Art working group supports the Public Art Program via their creative input and involvement in project implementation and outreach. To learn more, visit the Public Art Program.
Creek Stewardship
The Creek Stewardship group plays an essential role in helping the community take action and responsibility for our local creeks. Members can participate, promote, and come up with creative ways to engage the community in large events. On a smaller but more involved scale, you can help Valley Water develop a better system to recruit volunteers for the Adopt-A-Creek program or adopt a creek yourself! There’s a lot of room for creativity and improvement to give the community a strong sense that they can be part of the litter solution in our creeks. Plus, you can get outside and see the visible difference you are making!
Job Shadowing and Mentorship
The Job Shadowing and Mentorship group supports the annual Youth Commission-sponsored Valley Water Job Shadow Day. Job Shadow Day offers high school students a chance to see what it is like working in a specific job or area of interest in the water industry. This group is responsible for social media promotion and school outreach to help spread the word on the various issues related to water, the environment, and stewardship that impact young people.
Youth Citizen Science Network
The Youth Citizen Science group was created to promote water-related Citizen Science projects to high school students throughout Santa Clara County. Citizen Science provides an opportunity for volunteers to collaborate with other agencies and to contribute data to scientific projects. Water Quality testing with a local environmental nonprofit was offered as an opportunity for Youth Commissioners to experience hands-on water quality testing at Steven’s Creek and the sub-committee members were looking for other opportunities to promote to youth throughout the county.
Articles
- How you can help keep creeks clean in Santa Clara County
- Adopt-A-Bench Public Arts Project with the Youth Commission
- 2021 Job Shadow Day
- Water Matters: A Family Affair
- High School Students Learn About Careers in Water at Job Shadow Day
- We Want You (Th)! Open Seats on Youth Commission For High School Students
- What’s in A Drop – A Youth Commissioner’s View
- Seeking Youth Water Leaders
- Developing the Next Generation Of Water Resources Stewards
Contact Information
For questions or more info email us at [email protected].