Youth Advisory Board

The Leeds Youth Advisory Board consists of highly motivated high school leaders from the greater Winchester area. It meets biweekly to work on arts- based projects, strengthen leadership skills through seminars, and enhance the greater community through enrichment opportunities. For more information check out the Youth Board Facebook page here.

Check out some of our past projects below!

Applications are now LIVE for the 2023-2024 school year! Applications are open to all high school students, and are due on September 15th. Visit this LINK to apply.

Meetings are tentatively scheduled for Wednesday evenings this year.

2021-2022 Project. The Youth Board partnered with local muralist Wylie Caudill to design a mural at Legacy Grove Park that celebrated our history, diversity, and growth for the future. On June 4, 2022, they held a community-wide celebration to help paint the mural, as well as had many activities and community partners for participants to enjoy.

The following partners made this project possible: Legacy Grove, Clark Ambition, Family Resource Youth Services Center, Wylie Caudill, Clark County 4-H Extension Office, CCPL Youth Services, Winchester Black History and Heritage Committee, Winchester Inspired by Nature, Clark County Animal Shelter, Clark County Solid Waste, and countless volunteers!

2020-2021 project. This year, the Youth Board created a Social Justice Quilt, inspired by the work done by the Social Justice Sewing Academy.

Each student chose a social justice issue they were passionate about, and created a quilt square based on the topic. The square was then sent to embroiderers, creating an inter-generational dialogue on many of these topics. The quilt was then pieced together, and was revealed to the public on August 14, 2021.

2018-2019 Project. Members of  the Youth Board spent months interviewing members of the Winchester community, hoping to capture voices and perspectives that are frequently silent, and worked with playwright Margo Buchanan to create an original play titled “Outside Our Doors.” Topics such as race relations, homelessness, addiction, sexual assault, domestic violence, and LGTBQ rights were addressed throughout the play.

From heart breaking to hopeful, this original play titled Outside Our Doors highlights the stories of the people of Winchester. Characters both marginalized and revered, emerge in this narrative about the realities and hardships of life. Along with special guest musician, Ben Sollee, the Youth Board invited audiences to consider how the people and events of a small town shape the fabric of a community.

2017-2018 Project. Our very first project was titled “Portals to Possibility.” The Youth Board created a call for local artists to submit designs for a public art installation of doors in Downtown Winchester. The doors were based on themes of possibility, hope, and imagination.

It inspired the community through public art, while also increasing foot traffic and awareness through Downtown Winchester.