The Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council consists of 25 students of various racial, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds, representing each township in Marion County.
Curshuna Harvey, a junior at Warren Central High School, a member of the Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council is overjoyed to be on the council.
“I felt honored,” Harvey said. “I was ecstatic when I found out that I was chosen. I think the mission that we are trying to achieve for the community is great. I hope to address problems with the education system and with violence that we often see in our community.”
The Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council seeks to develop the next generation of leaders and is a collaborative effort by Mayor Joe Hogsett, Leadership Indianapolis and the Marion County Commission on Youth.
Each council meeting is devoted to a specific topic. Experts speak to the youth council about the topic, and then the council members go into their communities to get input from peers. The council members return for discussion.
It’s imperative students show enthusiasm for the city, Mayor’s Leadership Council Executive Director John Shertzer said.
“To be on the Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council a student needed a desire to be involved and engaged in the city,” Shertzer said.
The Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council teaches Marion County’s youth how to lead but is also an avenue to hear the opinions of youth.
“They have important opinions and viewpoints that are often ignored or outright disregarded,” said John Brandon, president and executive director of Marion County Commission on Youth. “Young people are emerging leaders and they bring fresh ideas, if young people are the future we need to help guide them.”
Contact Staff Writer Mariah Lee at 317-762-7853. Follow her on Twitter @ mariahlee1994.
Listen to the youth
Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council meets at 9 a.m. on the last Saturday of most months (no meeting in November and December’s meeting will be the first Saturday) from July through May. Meetings are open to the public and held in the mayor’s conference room at the City-County Building.
Contact at John Shertzer at jshertzer@leadershipindianapolis.com if you want to attend as space is limited. The next meeting on Aug. 25 will cover youth violence and public safety.
Other sessions include:
Aug. 25
Sept. 29
Oct. 27
Dec. 1
Jan. 26
Feb. 23
March 30
April 27
10: May 18
Source:http://my.indy.gov/activities/mayorsyouthleadershipcouncil
Curshuna Harvey, a junior at Warren Central High School, joins the Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council in hopes of discussing the education system and youth violence.
