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Students celebrated at county map contest; youth commission highlights peer‑advocacy mental‑health work
Summary
The board recognized winners of the 32nd annual student map drawing contest hosted by SAGE and received a Youth Commission presentation on peer‑advocacy, mental health initiatives and a $30,000 grant to fund future "Empower" training events.
The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors on April 21 hosted the SAGE (surveyors, architects, geologists and engineers) 32nd annual student map drawing awards and recognized the county Youth Commission for peer‑advocacy and mental‑health work.
Map contest: Andrew Schaefer, president of SAGE, described the competition and noted that over 100 students from kindergarten through 12th grade participated across the county. Supervisors called students to the front, presented ribbons and named winners across grade levels and open categories. SAGE and the county presented special "superstar" awards to multiple students who had placed repeatedly in the contest.
Youth Commission presentation: Co‑chairs Karen Smith and Ella Anderson presented the 25‑26 Youth Commission's work supporting peer advocacy and mental‑health awareness in high schools countywide. The commission surveyed 85 peer advocates across campuses, hosted an "Empower" training day with breakout sessions and a keynote speaker, and distributed small grants to peer advocacy programs at multiple schools to help fund local wellness events.
Funding: The commission reported a $30,000 grant from the El Dorado County Office of Education Mental Health Wellness program to fund future Empower events in 2026–2028 and to support local peer‑advocate activities; remaining funds at year end will be redistributed to school sites.
Board recognition: Supervisors congratulated commissioners and advisers and presented certificates of appreciation to student commissioners representing each supervisor district.
Why it matters: The Youth Commission's peer‑advocacy work aims to strengthen student connections, prevent substance misuse and address student sadness and isolation identified in the county's California Healthy Kids Survey data. The county grant funding is intended to expand training and local wellness programming.
