Creating Pathways for Youth Leadership in District 5

2026 Young Supervisors Academy Cohort (First row from left) Chelsy Hernandez, Adler Bliske, Finn Maxwell, Supervisor Monica Martinez, Supervisor Felipe Hernandez, Brian Hernandez, Julian Hausmann, and Josue Hernandez. (Second row from left) Jazmine Zuniga, Gloria Morales Ramirez, Jianne Angeles, Mark Adel Mendoza Luengas, Brianna Barrera-Fernandez, and Patrick Lopez.

Dear District 5 Resident,

I hope you enjoyed the Labor Day weekend. As we settle into a new school year, I wanted to highlight two new opportunities for young people in our County to build leadership skills, learn about local government, and become more engaged in their communities.

This past summer, I was pleased to co-host the Santa Cruz County Young Supervisors Academy along with District 4 Supervisor Felipe Hernandez, who established the program in 2023. For the first time, the Young Supervisors Academy expanded to include District 5 students. It was a pleasure to welcome Finn Maxwell, Julian Hausmann, and Adler Bliske, and I'm excited about the possibility of continuing this program next year.

In August, the County also reinstated a permanent Youth Commission, more than four decades after the original commission dissolved in 1982. The Commission will give young people a formal voice in County government. I was honored to participate in the swearing-in ceremony for the 11-member commission and I want to extend a special welcome to our District 5 representative, Paige Haentjens, a student at San Lorenzo Valley High School.

Experiences like these are so important because they empower young people to engage, speak up, and understand that they can make a difference in their communities. They provide an opportunity to build leadership skills and help young people see that they, too, have a place at the table and that their voices matter.

Read on to learn more about these opportunities and hear from District 5 participants, in their own words, about what they learned through the Young Supervisors Academy and how the experience changed their perspective.

In community,

Monica Martinez

Santa Cruz County Supervisor, District 5

Young Supervisors Academy Welcomes District 5

The Young Supervisors Academy is a summer leadership program designed to introduce youth to the inner workings of local government and public service. For the first time since the program was established in 2023 by District 4 Supervisor Felipe Hernandez, students from District 5 were invited to participate.

Over an immersive two weeks, youth participate in workshops on leadership development, tour County and community facilities, meet with elected officials and County leadership, and engage in hands-on learning through policy-making simulations and field trips.

Hands-On Learning Experiences

The 2026 cohort participated in a variety of hands-on learning experiences including auditing results from the June 2 California Primary Election, a field trip to Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency, a tour of the Sheriff’s headquarters, volunteering at Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County, and more.

From left: Finn Maxwell, Julian Hausmann, and Brian Hernandez help sort food at Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County.

Tackling Real-World Challenges

They also tackled real-world challenges facing Santa Cruz County, including the difficult decisions involved with developing balanced budgets during a time of fiscal distress. One project challenged students to design the new Valle de Pájaro County Park in Watsonville without exceeding available funding—the students’ ideas will be used to inform upcoming development of the park.

County Park Planner Mariana Colibri-Urgo works with Young Supervisors at Valle de Pájaro County Park land as they map out their vision for the new park.

Like the real Board of Supervisors, students considered how they might mitigate the expected impacts of unprecedented federal cuts on life-sustaining programs like Medi-Cal. More than 86,000 Santa Cruz County residents rely on Medi-Cal for health care. These cuts, along with reductions in funding for behavioral health, food assistance, housing, public health, and other lifesaving programs will place additional strain on local services and threaten the health and safety of our entire community.

In a final capstone project, the students participated in a Mock Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors meeting where they prepared policy materials, provided public comment, and debated a proposal for a temporary one-half cent transactions and use tax to help protect essential services at risk—similar to what will now appear as Measure E on Santa Cruz County voters’ November 3rd, 2026 ballot.

From left: Jianne Angeles, Finn Maxwell, and Adler Bliske debate a proposal at a Mock Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors meeting.

Spotlight on District 5 Young Supervisors

Hear from the District 5 Young Supervisors below in their own words about what they learned and how the experience changed their perspective.

Finn Maxwell

“Prior to the program, I had a very narrow idea of the services the County provides, but I learned they provide services that span every sector and are most effective when people participate, not only by voting, but by showing up for board meetings, emailing their officials, and making suggestions.”

“It’s hard to choose one standout experience, but it was very interesting to learn about the development process for the new county park outside Watsonville."

--Finn Maxwell, 2026 graduate of SLV High School and incoming freshman at Kenyon College

Julian Hausmann

“Before the Academy, I thought local government and civic participation were things I only could learn about after I could vote. However, there are many ways to get involved—whether volunteering, attending board meetings, or just keeping up to date with issues in the community.”

“The mock Board of Supervisors meeting gave me a good understanding of the format and expectations of a real Board meeting. I hope to participate in future meetings now that I feel comfortable.”

--Julian Hausmann, Senior, SLV High School

Adler Bliske

“The most valuable thing I learned is that County programs are specifically created with sustainability in mind.”

“Meeting with the sheriff and fire chief are both moments that stand out to me. They highlighted that some careers are built on internships, outreach, and hands on experience—opportunities that County departments are more than happy to help with.”

--Adler Bliske, 2026 graduate of Santa Cruz High School and incoming freshman at University of California, Berkeley

It was an honor to work with these exceptional students. I was inspired by their enthusiasm, curiosity, and willingness to step out of their comfort zone to learn new skills. One thing that struck me was hearing students say they wanted to share their ideas and perspectives but often felt they didn’t have the knowledge to weigh in on important decisions.

The Young Supervisors Academy helps bridge that gap by demystifying local government, showing students how decisions are made, and giving them the skills and confidence to speak up. I hope this year’s cohort walks away knowing that their voices matter and there is a place for young people in local government.

County Reinstates Youth Commission

District 5 Youth Commissioner Paige Haentjens with Supervisor Martinez.

To further broaden efforts to encourage youth participation in local government, the County reinstated a permanent Youth Commission this year, more than four decades after the original commission dissolved in 1982. The Commission gives young people a formal voice in County government.

I was honored to participate in the swearing in ceremony for the Youth Commissioners, and I want to extend a special welcome to our District 5 Youth Commissioner, Paige Haentjens. I know Paige will bring fresh perspectives and the voices and experiences of young people across our district to the conversation.

The Youth Commission is an advisory body that reports directly to the Board of Supervisors and is comprised of 11 high school students from across the County. The Youth Commission will advise the Board of Supervisors on policies and programs affecting youth and identify emerging concerns facing young people throughout our County. It grew out of the County’s A Santa Cruz Like Me initiative, which examined whether County boards and commissions reflect the diversity of the community.

Too often, youth voices are missing from the table, and I am so glad there is now a permanent pathway for the Board to hear from young people about the issues that matter to them. I look forward to working with our Youth Commission and learning from the ideas they bring forward to the Board.

By creating meaningful pathways like these for youth to engage, we're not only investing in future leaders, but we’re also ensuring today's young people know their voices matter and have a place in shaping the future of Santa Cruz County.