WASHINGTON STATE ASSOCIATION OF YOUTH COURTS

Stay tuned for more information on the 2023 WSAYC conference.    March 25, 2023 Seattle University School of Law! 

 Washington State Association of Youth Courts will be holding a virtual conference on November 6th, 2021.  Stay tuned for registration details.

WSAYC Annual Conference was held October 24. Students, adult leaders and entities interested in starting new youth courts in their communities took part in the virtual conference. Guest Speakers included: Keynote Speaker-Kitira Johnson is founder and CEO of Kitara Johnson LLC, a training and consultant company. She currently serves as the Chief Diversity Officer at Excelsior Wellness in Spokane, WA.  She serves on the Washington State Supreme Court Minority and Justice Commission and under the commission organizes the Spokane Youth and Justice forum. A reformed gang leader from the southside of Chicago, featured on CNN and Netflix, Kitara has a passion for youth, unity and justice. Officer JD Elliott, serves on the Seattle Police Department and will share his inspirational story and perspective serving as a Police Officer in the current cultural climate in America Workshops included: Anti-Racism Application in your court New Youth Court Legislation presented by Courtney Whitten - Attor

Hello Fellow Youth Court Managers, Administrators, and partners: Here we are at the beginning of another school year and the beginning of the 2020-2021 Youth Court Session. It is also nearly time for the WSAYC annual Fall Conference and the reason for this email.   You are invited  to join us for the  WSAYC Fall Conference  to be held  Saturday, October 24, 2020 . The conference was recently moved to an  online format .  Please SAVE THE DATE!   The Committee has an engaging and exciting set of speakers and activities designed to improve your youth court skills and experience. The conference will also be a good opportunity for those wanting to start a new youth court to connect with people and resources to help them get started.   Registration details and more information will soon follow.   Thank you for your patience as we work out the final details. We look forward to seeing you online Saturday, October 24 th !     Terri Cooper, Court Administrator WSAYC President Cheney Municipal Co

WSAYC held it's annual conference November 2nd at Seattle University Law School.  During the  conference new board members were elected.  Judge Jennifer Cruz was elected to the Vice-President position and students Ethan Coyle (new student president) and Nigel Naylor (new student vice-president) were welcomed to the board.  Gen Sakura stepped down as incoming student president as he is currently enrolled at the University of Washington (Engineering program) and was promoted to a special advisory role on the board. Whatcom Youth Court reported the retirement of Cathy Beaty who served as coordinator for the court for over 20 years. Her absence will certainly be missed. Whatcom Youth Court currently has over 100 student volunteers that serve on the diversion based court and is in the process of restructuring the student advisory board and the types of cases that can be heard. Cheney Youth Court reports an upcoming New Youth Court Start Up Conference to be held at Gonzaga University

The Washington Judges Foundation announced today that they have awarded WSAYC funding for their upcoming annual conference in the amount of $2700.  These funds support WSAYC providing a free state-wide conference for youth, court coordinators, newly developing youth courts and parties interested in starting a youth court.  We greatly appreciate the continued support from the Washington Judges Foundation.