Over the years, hundreds of clubs at Cherry Creek have given students more opportunities to learn, and practice vital life skills, such as leadership. A specific club comes to mind in helping to bring out these special characteristics in students; the Youth Advisory Board.

The Youth Advisory Board is a well-known club (a.k.a. YAB) due to many of the school events it hosts, such as Red Ribbon Week and the Ethnic Fest. However, the Youth Advisory Board is more than a club that hosts school events, it helps students learn leadership skills and take charge. “I think we just see people rising up and wanting to assert leadership… [after all] it is a leadership club but a lot of the kids aren’t looking for leadership positions. However, what I’ve found is that I’ve really seen those leadership initiatives and personalities start to shine,” said Michael Mazenko, sponsor of the club, a program assistant/coordinator, and a teacher here at Creek.

There are currently forty to fifty students who are regular members of the Youth Advisory Board. A handful of students find the club to be “a place where they can hang out” Mazenko commented. However, most of the students are eager to participate in a majority of the activities that the club does; whether it’s painting a banner or hanging up ribbons around the school for school events. Although, it  is not only a place where a student can learn to become a better leader, but also to get to know people and find their comfort zone.

Daniel Kim, a sophomore and member of the club at Creek, stated, “It’s one of the non-commitment clubs that I feel help out the school the most.”

The Youth Advisory Board meets every Monday from 3 to 4pm after school in IC715. The club is welcome to anyone who wants to join and has a “flexible membership; you come when you can is basically the way it goes,” says Mazenko.