"We try to bridge the gap between teenagers and elected officials," said Tzvi Solomon, a junior at Torah Academy of Bergen County.

Commenting on the board’s diversity amidst growing racial and religious tensions in the township, Solomon said, "We have all been brought up to live by two specific words, respect and tolerance, and we bring the words into this board."

Deputy Mayor Lizette Parker, the council’s liaison to the YAB, said that last spring the council sent township-wide notices about the board’s formation. Teenagers seeking to become members were interviewed by the council, in a process similar to that used for appointment to other township boards.

Scott Pleasants, one of the board’s four adult advisors, noted that of the 15 members, 12 are from Teaneck public schools and the rest from private schools.

But no YAB member attends a Catholic, Islamic or Christian private school. Parker noted that some Catholic school students were interviewed, but none were appointed.

In addition to Pleasants and Parker, adults involved with YAB include school board trustee Sebastian Rodriguez, who serves as liaison with the board of education and advisors Tara Edmonds and Keisha McClean.

The formation of a Youth Advisory Board was recommended as part of the township’s Visioning Process, which was completed in 2006. But it was the killing of teenager Ricky Lee Smith 18 months ago that produced the major impetus to form the board.

Parker said that in preparation to setting up the YAB, the council chose a subcommittee consisting of herself and Councilwomen Monica Honis and Jacqueline Kates.

"We decided the best way to come up with programming for youth is through the teenagers themselves," Parker said, noting that she takes the recommendations made by the YAB back to the council for discussion and vote on implementation.

At the May 7 meeting, YAB members discussed such issues as the newly opened teen drop-in center, a forthcoming meeting with a representative of the police department’s community policing division, and teen employment at the township library.

"One of the most significant issues we have, and one that we brought up to the council (at a special workshop meeting with YAB members and the council), is how to address the jaywalking concerns," said Pleasants.

In September 2007 several students attending Thomas Jefferson Middle School were ticketed for jaywalking on nearby Hartwell Street. The police action resulted in a special PTO meeting, attended by police and almost 100 residents.

The drop-in center, which is located in the Rodda Center, is open every Friday and Saturday evening. It is intended to fill a gap in recreational opportunities for teenagers, said Pleasants.

"It is a space that gives teenagers in the community an opportunity to go somewhere as rather than hang out at a corner. The activities are prepared by the recreation department," he said.

In April, Cablevision filmed part of a YAB meeting. The segment will be aired as part of Neighborhood Journal from May 18-31 on channels 77 and 118 and will be broadcast throughout the day at 8 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Pleasants said he knows of no other municipal youth advisory board in New Jersey.

"This group in a microcosm of the community," he said. "If adults are listening to teenagers in the community, they will get a sense of what is on teenagers’ minds, and the teenagers will not be strangers to the community."

"It is a unique situation organization," he added. "This group is highly motivated. When you have a group like this, you get a feel of what is going on in the community."