PANEL OF YOUNG PEOPLE PREPARE TO BE HEARD BY WHITE HOUSE

A group of local youth were given a chance to let President Barack
Obama hear their opinions on some of the country's most serious and
controversial issues Friday afternoon.

Williamsport's YouthBuild program was one of 48 programs across the
country chosen to hold a roundtable discussion with a representative
of the President's administration.

Following the discussion, the group will prepare a report summarizing
their opinions to be submitted to the White House.

Bill Wehry, state executive director for the Farm Service Agency,
listened as members of the local program's advisory council voiced
their opinions on a number of topics, including jobs, unemployment,
health care, legalization of marijuana, same-sex marriage, social
security, racial profiling and drug testing.

"It's good they are not afraid to wade into controversial subjects and
voice their opinions," Wehry said. "(The issues) affect each of us in
some way. We have to talk about them."

Among the topics that generated the most discussion were legalization
of marijuana, same-sex marriage and jobs.

Many of the youth felt legalizing marijuana would help to alleviate
some of the country's problems, including increasing income through
taxes and production of other products made from the hemp plants.

"If we legalize marijuana, I bet it would do wonders for the farm
industry," Steve Williams, vice president of the council, said.

Williams moderated the discussion among 15 to 20 young men and women,
many of whom held a similar position on the issue.

A more controversial issue among the group was same-sex marriage.
Nearly everyone in the room had a strong opinion on the subject.

Some, like Angelia Phillips, treasurer, felt people should be able to
marry whomever they wish.

"Love is love," Phillips. "It shouldn't matter."

Others, like Terrance Quattlebaum, sergeant at arms, spoke out against
it because of the potential for increased harassment of homosexual
individuals and their children.

"Even it was legal," Quattlebaum said. "It's not going to change the
way people think."

Good-paying jobs were an area of concern for many in the
room.

"The price of a lot of stuff is going up except wages," Williams said.
"Minimum wage is not enough to pay rent and bills."

He said there should be more incentive for companies to manufacture
their products in the U.S. rather than send the jobs to China.

Williams and many of the others also believed high schools should
better prepare individuals to enter the workforce if they are not
going on for post-secondary education.

"They should help us get ready for life," he said. "There should be
classes for how to live post-high schools."

YouthBuild helps low-income men and women between ages 18 and 24
rebuild their lives through education, job training, community service
and other development programs.

The local chapter is run through the STEP office on Lincoln Street,
and since its inception in 2009, the program has helped 67 of the
county's youth build better lives.