The idea for the Youth City Council came during an advertising class at Park City High School that sophomore Maya Levine was in. After talking about how students don’t have a voice – she decided to do something about it and rallied other students to organize Park City’s first Youth City Council.
Levine was recently elected the Mayor for the high school club and joined Mayor Jack Thomas during the council’s work session Thursday. After being invited to conduct the meeting – she led the discussion for a new program - Communities That Care. Levine listened intently and shared her thoughts and ideas about what was needed to empower and protect her peers.
“I think the problem we’re having now in Park City with the drug use would be a good one for our youth council to step in and help out with," Levine said. "I’m really just excited to get out the student voice. Through student surveys we’re going to be sending a lot of those out and just showing park city the student views and all of the excitement we have to share with everyone.”
Levine is hopeful that more students will join the youth council, and have a month to apply.
“The Youth Council in general – we’re trying to get more students involved," Levine said. "Our website can be found off of the Park City Council website and our application process is there and if any students that don’t know about it would like to join – and we’re trying to get a whole bunch – a variety of students in to get a variety of the student opinions. Not just one section of the school. ”
Park City Council member Becca Gerber has been meeting with the Youth Council and said they’re still figuring things out at this stage.
“This is the first club that is really about learning how your local city government works," Gerber said. "And that’s the goal – is to really give kids some insight and an opportunity to participate in their local government.”
Gerber added that the Youth Council members have been really excited, to learn about all of the different things that City Council actually does.
“I think everyone is really excited," Gerber said. "We love having our community participate and be involved and hearing form different members from our community and this is a really exciting opportunity for us to be able to hear from a much younger generation than we often hear from and engage with a different part of the community that is really essential to what our town will be moving forward. We have to have some young people engaged and participating.”
Gerber said the members of the Youth City Council have been working hard and are very dedicated and said that it’s going to bring nothing but good.