Each of the four teen think tanks considered a second brainstorming question: “If you were mayor of your city, what would you do to cause your city to become a better, safer place for teenagers?” After brainstorming this question for approximately 8-10 minutes, each group prioritized the resulting list of ideas. Each participant scored each idea based on a 5-point scale of priority. The 5 rating were: “VH” – Very High Priority; “HP” – High Priority; “M” – Medium priority; “LP” – Low Priority; and “VL” – Very Low Priority. The system tabulated the results electronically and produced this report in descending sequence based on cumulative priority of each item. This exercise, including brainstorming, prioritization and tabulation of the results was completed in approximately 20 minutes. In all, the 83 participants of the 4 Teen Think Tanks generated a total of 353 ideas in response to the “mayor” brainstorming question. This report reflects the top picks from each of the groups. As a point of reference, the total number of ideas generated and the number of priority ideas selected by each group are shown in the following table.
 
 

 Top Picks of "If I were mayor..." Session 1
 
 

Top 33 items out of 107 (mean of 4.0 or better)

1	hire teachers who care
2	listen to what the yonger generation has to say about pressing issues
3	give kids something to do imean stop kicking us out of parkinglots or whatever.  that just makes us mad so we'll go do something illegal
4	give teens somewhere to go
5	help fund a very nice teen hang out
6	i would build more things for teens to do
7	more places for teens to hang out
8	increase number of hangouts for teenagrs
9	i would open more places where teens could "hang out"
10	let teens have the space to make their own choices
11	provide opportunity for teens to be involved in gov't and community
12	i would give places for them to go
13	get violent criminals out of the city
14	listen to the ideas of teens and give them a chance to speak up
15	decrease number of dropouts
16	give students more places to go to find help for crisis and educational problems.
17	pay teachers more
18	give kids incentives for doing well
19	I would create more places for teens to get together and socialize and have good,clean,safe fun.
20	spend money on a place for kids to hang out
21	i agree with the off campus lunches
22	Allow local resturants to have outlets in schools and give the schools half of the profit so that students will actually eat lunch
23	oh make stuff cheaper....like gas cause we gotta go places...no provide public transportation...free to full time students.  not smelly buses that get you made fun of though
24	Make laws that favor teens hanging out than laws that oppose teens
25	spend more money on our schools because the buildings are really crappy and teachers are really underpaid
26	make the rest of the community aware that teens are not the only ones who commit crimes
27	places for teens to go
28	off campus lunch to reduce the amount of skipping
29	food in scchool that isn't going to be recalled by the meat company
30	Make it known that all of the city problems are not caused by teens and adults do commit misdemeanors
31	spend more money per student in the public schools systems
32	be more aware of the teens, their not all bad
33	Create more off campus lunches

Top Picks from "If I were mayor..." items – Session 2
 
 

Top 42 items out of 69 (mean of 4.0 or better)

1	safe, fun places for teens to hang out and escape drugs, alcohol and violence
2	places for teens to go to have fun in a safe environment
3	don't underestimate teens
4	realize that there are responsible teens out there
5	clean up the neighborhoods with alot of children in them... they don't need to see all the drugs and violence that we see. I had to watch that my whole life then watch it get worse in the ghetto and country.  I was too young to experience that
6	give teens a stronger voice in there community
7	crack down on drunk drivers
8	Give teens, esp. in the black community a safe place to hang out.
9	keep the safe places to hangout open later for people who have things to do and want somwhere to hangout late.
10	Try to host more activities like Big Spring Jam.  Things that teens can afford.  Key words: CHEAP and ATTAINABLE
11	get crackheads and drugdealers off the street
12	create places for all ages that do not allow drinking and smoking.
13	work to get rid of drugs
14	more things for teens to get involved in
15	have hang-outs for teens
16	Stop cracking down on the smokers and kids going 5 miles over the speed limit.  Go arrest crack dealers and gang members instead
17	create a place where teens can go at night without risking getting beaten up.
18	get more teens involved in volunteering in the commnity
19	stop gang violence
20	More activities such as "Just Chillin' Night"' to appeal to teens and give them a place to relieve there stress without drugs or violence.
21	clubs for teens without alcohol
22	Better food in public school cafeteria.  No more samonella please
23	ban anybody that is under 18 should not be alowed in atomatic guns stores
24	keep the big spring jam
25	arrest druglords
26	teach cops to respect teens and give them a chance
27	get teens more involved in their community
28	teen clubs w/ bands ( an all-around fun, but safe, place for teenagers)
29	set up a big brothers and sisters program in madison
30	Help teens to be more involved in the city's decision-making.
31	set up a system where the students can suggest what needs to be done in their school system and not where the teachers tell what they think needs to be done
32	have police in madison stop being ticket happy and actually go to places on the weekend where people are going to be drunk driving or using drugs so they cankeep them off the street.
33	Create community projects
34	Support more teen-based clubs and organizations.
35	a place where teens can go with their families to meet others and talk about premarital sex and relationships with
36	building where all the teens from huntsville can hang out
37	definitely higher education standards
38	Police who care more about the people
39	develope more teen only night areas
40	crack down on crime
41	more concerts
42	Allow teens to a voice in city council

 

Top Picks If I were Mayor...Session 3
 
 

Top 27 items out of 95 (mean of 4.0 or better)

1	hire better teachers
2	srtickin rape child abuse and violence laws
3	I would spend more money on schools that need it
4	arrest the corupt police officers
5	I would help create a place that anyone can go to as a kind of meeting place or place to have fun.
6	have more functions like this to get feedback from the youth and also for adults
7	get more voices from teens about education and crime and sex
8	I would build more places that kids or anybody to go to so they wont get in trouble.
9	I would build more areas for kids to go........parks, malls, ect
10	i would be more ivovled with kids and what they want because they are the future
11	I would crack down on drugs and prosect drug dealers to the fullest
12	I would stricken the laws on drugs
13	i would do more youth programs like this that listen to teens input
14	make education and teachers a bigger priority
15	i would be more involved in the youth of Huntsville....
16	I would not divide Huntsville into aa white side and black side I would try to make them diverse instead of trying to bring one downa nd the other up
17	If i were mayer i would try to find a place where young kids could hand out and not get yelled at and where they could do whatever they wanted unless it was illeagal.
18	Teach the cops some manners
19	I would listen to the youth in the community, not just the goody-goodies, but them too
20	i would come up with positive activities for teens to do as a whole
21	more money for education
22	If i were mayor, i would build homes for young children, older children, and then adults that get kicked out of there homes because of bills.  Help them find a job.  and get back on their feet
23	Go out into society and see first hand how things are
24	don't arrest homeless people for sleeping under bridges and other places they are just trying to have a roof over there head
25	i would keep the schools in good condition
26	add more habds on experiments to the teachers leasson plans so that students can get a better idea and learn better
27	I would add background checks for all teachers once a year for competency.

Top Picks If I were mayor Session 4
 
 

Top 24 out of 82 items (Mean of 3.94 or better)

1	more places for teens to go
2	improve requirements for teachers applying for jobs
3	provide many different places for teens to go after school or during the weekends
4	make higher education cheaper
5	computers in the classrooms!
6	if they want to know what we think aask us not our teacers
7	make teachers teach instead of teach tests
8	have club for teens to join after school or on the weekend
9	More funds toward better education.
10	better educational oppertunities for all
11	upgrade school conditions
12	I would make more activities available to youths, things like the arts are very important. many people use this as an outlet when they don't play sports or anything like that.
13	More funding for SCHOOL COUNSELORS, who are properly trained, and whose only duties are to deal with student's personal problems, not schedule changes etc...
14	More safe hangouts open late at night when teens are out.
15	i would make a big place where teens could to on the weekend to just chill
16	Teenage councils that have a very active, administrative role, in the school system
17	sexual education
18	No more fake promises
19	Form a teenage council that reported to the mayor
20	Give more money to schools.
21	A care group of teens that just want to help and go to schools and hold sessions for those who aren't very accepted (or don't feel loved or etc.)
22	bring more concerts to the city.....it's fun and it's something to do
23	stop gangs
24	have students, teachers, and city council members to be more involved with each other so everyone can have a say so