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It’s a new year, and a new group of young leaders are ready to take on the year. For the past three years, our city council has been delighted to see our Youth City Council brought back after a few dormant years. Our Youth Council program was started about 20 years ago under prior city council members and provides a way for 11th-grade students to build leadership skills, foster civic engagement, and learn about public service while giving back to their community.
Applications are usually accepted at the start of the new school year under the leadership of Councilman R. Scott Phillips. He has done a tremendous job supporting the students’ passions while creating new opportunities for them to explore in our community. At our January 11 City Council meeting, the following students were inducted as the new Youth City Council, and we are pleased to have them on board:
- Sunny Alger - Canyon View High
- Sarah Allred - Canyon View High
- Maliza Griffiths - Canyon View High
- Heidi Hailstone – Mayor, Lighthouse Commonwealth
- Jonas Hunt - Cedar High (not pictured)
- Shannon Roach - Canyon View High
- Elena Roundy - Cedar High
- Gabriel Smith - Cedar High
- Cole Stanley – Communications Director, Canyon View High
- Evelynn Stein – Recorder, Canyon View High
Council members Scott Phillips, Carter Wilkey, and I recently took the students to Salt Lake City to participate in Local Officials Day at the capitol, where they spent the day with over 1,500 other students involved in youth councils across the state. They participated in a mock trial debate about the 2034 Winter Olympics, learned about advocacy with legislators, and heard from those in the legislative internship program. They were also grateful to have spent time with their own local legislators at a special dinner, including Senator Evan Vickers and his wife, Chris, and Representative Rex Shipp and his wife, Stacia.
Other highlights and favorite moments from the students included exploring the Senate and House chambers, a special tour under the capitol building led by Stacia Shipp, and meeting other students from across Utah through icebreaker activities.
We look forward to these future leaders making a big difference in our community. In the meantime, you can find them raising money for Special Olympics in the Polar Plunge challenge, reading 3rd grader essays as part of our Love Where You Live contest, and being positive influences among their peers in our local schools.
-Mayor Garth O. Green
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