April 30, 2007




Dear Prospective Temple B’nai Torah Youth (BTY) Leader,

BTY elections will be held this year on May 29th, 2007 at 7pm at TBT. If you are interested in running for a BTY Board position you need to:
• turn in the attached form signed by both you and your parents by Tuesday night, May 15th to the Temple office.
• e-mail the statement you would like potential voters to read to bty@a.templebnaitorah.org by May 22nd (this is requested in the attached form)
• give a short speech outlining your qualifications and/or ideas immediately before the voting takes place on May 29th at Temple.
• Be available on June 3rd for an event that is co-sponsored by this year’s and next year’s BTY board (unless you make special arrangements to be absent with the youth advisor)

The requirements to run for elected BTY Board positions for 2007-08 are as follows:
• You must be entering 10, 11, or 12th grade during the 2007-2008 school year and you or your family must be members of Temple B’nai Torah
• You must have attended at least one BTY and one NFTY event prior to running
• You must enroll in TBT’s Tuesday school program during the 2007-08 school year.
• The TBT Youth Advisor must approve your application

Being a BTY Board member allows you to help guide and organize a years worth of amazing activities and events that are open to all of our congregation’s high school aged youth. You help determine how the Temple’s BTY budget is spent; you “work hard and play hard”. You have an opportunity to bond with your fellow youth leaders as you plan and implement your vision. You even get extra opportunities to log volunteer hours if your high school requires them for graduation.

If you are interested in becoming a BTY Board member but are unsure if you can make the commitment please consider the following:
• Each BTY Board member is expected to carry out the duties of their position in a timely manner, either by completing the work themselves or delegating it to another responsible BTY member.
• The BTY Board typically meets once per month, and each Board member is expected to attend unless there is a significant conflict.
• BTY usually has at least one event planned for each month, and BTY Board members are expected to help organize and attend these events unless there is a significant conflict.
• BTY Board members are strongly encouraged to attend Northwest Regional Youth Group retreats sponsored by the National Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY). There are usually three of these each school year and they take up and entire weekend including up to half of Friday.

If you have any questions about the BTY Board positions and responsibilities or the election process please feel free to call me at 425-827-2271 or send an e-mail to dleviten@templebnaitorah.org I look forward to hearing from you!!

Sincerely,


David Leviten, TBT Youth Advisor

Attachments: BTY Board Job Descriptions (Elected Positions Only)
BTY Board Position Application







B’nai Torah Youth (BTY) Board Position
Job Descriptions 2007-2008

President:
The president’s job is primarily to delegate responsibility and then make sure things actually get done.
Specific responsibilities of the President include:
• Scheduling and setting the agenda for all BTY Board meetings
• Maintaining overall responsibility for all BTY activities, projects, and events
• Making sure someone is responsible for getting each BTY-related task done and monitoring their progress as needed
• Setting an example for the entire BTY Board by being organized, on time, and present at meetings and events.
• Attending the Temple’s Adult Board meetings and reporting on BTY status to the Adult Board
• Acting as a liaison between BTY and the Youth Advisor, the Temple, other Seattle-area Temples, and the Northwest Region as a whole.
• Appointing any non-elected BTY Board members that are needed, such as Freshman Representatives, etc..
• Attending all BTY Board meetings and BTY events except when a legitimate conflict exists

Programming Vice President (PVP):
The primary job of the PVP is to plan and create BTY programs that will take place throughout the year. PVP responsibilities include:
• Doing research as necessary to ensure programs and events are scheduled at appropriate times.
• Designing programs and activities that take place during BTY events
• Acting as President if the President is not available to do so.
• Attending all BTY Board meetings and BTY events except when a legitimate conflict exists

Social Action Vice President (SAVP)
The SAVP will help ensure that BTY maintains focus on helping to improve the world through acts of tzedakah and community service. SAVP responsibilities include:
• Helping determine a Social Action theme for the year
• Collecting and properly disbursing any charitable items that are gathered during event throughout the year
• Being the point person for any Social Action related events that BTY has during the year. Examples include the Habitat for Humanity Multi-Faith Home Building Project. The Trick or Treat for Hunger Event, and the PB&J Jam (distributing bag lunches to homeless people in Seattle).
• Attending all BTY Board meetings and BTY events except when a legitimate conflict exists

Religious and Cultural Vice President (RCVP):
The RCVP is responsible for designing and integrating Jewish cultural and religious content into BTY events and activities. RCVP responsibilities include:
• Designing services, prayers, and/or Jewish readings that take place during BTY events such as Shabbat, Havdalah, Passover, etc..
• Being the lead person when BTY leads Friday night services at Temple (at least 3 times per school year)
• Attending all BTY Board meetings and BTY events except when a legitimate conflict exists

Membership Vice President (MVP)
The MVP is responsible for helping maximize the active membership of BTY by helping with a variety of publicity related tasks, including:
• Maintaining up to date lists of TBT 9th – 12th graders (from the Temple’s database) that will be used to call prospective event participants. These calling lists will be divided up by the MVP among the entire BTY board and/or other volunteers and calls will be made prior to events to encourage participation
• Maintaining the BTY portion of the publicity board outside the TBT main office and the publicity board located in the TBT Youth Room.
• Tracking RSVPs numbers prior to events to help with event planning and purchases.
• Greeting people at all events and making sure they sign in; collecting e-mails and other contact info from members when they sign in at events
• Helping design mixers that will be used during events to help participants meet and get to know each other.
• Attending all BTY Board meetings and BTY events except when a legitimate conflict exists


Communications Vice President (CVP)
The CVP is responsible for a wide range of record keeping and communications-related tasks, including:
• Recording minutes at BTY Board meetings and distributing them to the Board and Youth Advisor
• Maintaining updated information on the BTY web site
• Creating and sending out flyers for all BTY events
• Maintaining an e-mail distribution list of TBT teens and sending information about upcoming events and activities to the distribution list
• Attending all BTY Board meetings and BTY events except when a legitimate conflict exists


Treasurer
The Treasurer is responsible for all financial matters that pertain to BTY. This includes:
• Keeping track of the BTY budget during the year to make sure revenues and expenses are in line with expectations
• Helping determine the costs for events and the price that will be charged for admission to events
• Collecting all moneys turned in at events and turning those monies into the Temple office or the BTY Youth Advisor
• Helping design and organize any BTY fundraisers that take place during the year.
• Helping order and sell any BTY clothing or other items that are made available to the BTY membership.
• Attending all BTY Board meetings and BTY events except when a legitimate conflict exists


TEMPLE B’NAI TORAH (TBT)
YOUTH GROUP B’NAI TORAH YOUTH (BTY)

BOARD POSITION APPLICATION FOR 2007-2008
DUE MAY 15th TO THE TBT OFFICE

Name ____________________ Grade during 2007-2008 School Year ____

Address __________________________________________ Phone ______________

E-mail Address _______________________________________

BTY Board Position of Interest ____________________________________________


Please attach a statement (less than one page) explaining your interest in serving on the BTY Board and describing why you feel you are an excellent candidate for the Board Position that you are applying for.


Notice of Applicant Commitment:
I have read the information contained in the April 30, 2007 letter from the BTY Youth Advisor and in the BTY Board Position Job Descriptions for 2007-2008 and have determined that this is a commitment of time and energy that I am not only willing, but able to make based on my other school-year commitments. I understand that the TBT Youth Advisor will notify me if my application is not accepted for any reason.

Applicant sign and Date here: ________________________________________


Notice of Parent of Applicant Commitment:
I have read the information contained in the April 30, 2007 letter from the BTY Youth Advisor and in the BTY Board Position Job Descriptions for 2007-2008 and have determined that this is a commitment of time and energy that my child is not only willing, but able to make based on their other school-year commitments. If my child needs transportation to attend BTY Board meetings and BTY events, I will help ensure that they are able to attend.

Parent of applicant sign and date here: __________________________________