Youth Bill of Rights

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Vashon youth are helping shape how King County considers the needs and voices of young people in future policy decisions.

When Vashon Youth & Family Services (VYFS) Outreach and Engagement Coordinator Glory Busic and VHS junior Emma Shampain learned that King County had adopted its first-ever Youth Bill of Rights in January 2025, they applied and were accepted to join a peer-led task force formed to help implement the policy.

The two joined 25 peers from across the county, meeting three times a month to organize, advocate and raise awareness about the Youth Bill of Rights. Shampain said those countywide youth perspectives are essential to ensuring the policy works for all young people.

The Youth Bill of Rights was shaped by feedback from more than 2,200 young people across King County and developed with support from the Children and Youth Advisory Board and a countywide youth task force. It outlines 10 core priorities, including basic needs, health, education, equity, safety, environment, transportation, recreation, and youth voice.

While the declaration doesn’t create new laws, it is intended to guide future county budgets, youth programs, and policy decisions, making youth perspectives a formal consideration in how King County governs. District 1 Councilmember Rod Dembowski sponsored the bill, which passed unanimously.

Vashon voices at the county level

Busic joined the YBOR task force to help ensure young people on Vashon know their voices matter.

“This work directly impacts me as a young person, but it also allows me to advocate for the youth I work with through VYFS every day in Vashon schools and at ORBIT Youth Space,” Busic said. “I want young people to understand how they can use it to advocate for their needs.”

When Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda promoted the opportunity to join the task force, Shampain—who serves as legislative chair of the Washington State High School Democrats knew she wanted to serve. She and Busic are now working to promote the effort on Vashon.

“Our main goals are to build a solid structure for a county youth commission to keep youth voices and YBOR priorities central in policy decisions and to host a youth leadership summit to help young people learn how to become local leaders,” Shampain said.

A King County Youth Leadership Summit is scheduled for May 30, 2026, at the Museum of Flight. Young leaders and aspiring changemakers are invited to spend the day networking and peer-to-peer learning while championing the mission of the YBOR.

Carol Goertzel, a VYFS board officer who works part time at McMurray Middle School, is serving her third year on the Children and Youth Advisory Board, the group that helped launch the Youth Bill of Rights initiative. Goertzel was instrumental in bringing the project to Vashon.

Her work at the school, combined with years of community engagement during her tenure as VYFS executive director and her current role as board secretary, has allowed her to communicate Island youth needs effectively at the county level.

Mosqueda emphasized the importance of youth involvement in shaping policy.

“Kiddos are our current and future leaders.” Mosqueda said. “Their best interests should be at the heart of every policy we pass and every decision we make.”

Youth put policy to practice

“Even young people who are not yet eligible to vote have meaningful ways to advocate for change,” Busic said.

Vashon middle and high school students are invited to join the “YBOR in Action” on April 21, from 4-5pm at ORBIT Youth Space. Busic and Shampain will introduce the YBOR and discuss ways young people can advocate for themselves and their communities.

They also encourage local employers and organizations to consider how the YBOR can inform their work with youth in the community.

Their hope is that the more the YBOR is referenced and discussed, the more powerful it will be.

“The bill advocates for important rights, but we are here to make sure those words translate into action,” Shampain said. “I want youth to seize this opportunity, and I can’t wait to see the impact we make together!”

To learn more about the YBOR and upcoming events, email Glory Busic: gbusic@vyfs.org.

Tiffany Schira is the Fundraising and Communications Manager at Vashon Youth & Family Services.