CHARLESTON, W.Va. — 15 Charleston-area high school students will make up the 2019-2020 Charleston Youth Council.
The City of Charleston and Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin announced the members on Tuesday after selection from a seven-person committee.
“The young people who applied for our inaugural Charleston Youth Council are the doers, the thinkers, the dreamers, and the believers-they are engaged in what’s happening in our communities. That’s what I admire about them,” said Goodwin in a release.
“I am excited to get started with the inaugural Charleston Youth Council and look forward to working closely with them in the upcoming year.”
Around 50 applicants looked to join to the new initiative that has hopes of providing teens a voice in developing public policy and community development.
The members of the council include Charleston Catholic High School’s Ryan Atassi, Alexandra Macia, Eva Toor, Delaney Wells, and Elizabeth Zacks; Capital High School’s Chyna Beatty, Elijah Inman, La’Nya LaMarr, Abbigail Robinson, and Nola Todd; George Washington High School’s Emma Carpenter, Nilaya Kanuri, Zoya Khalid, and Bryce Sullivan; and Sissonville High School’s Makenzie Lanham.
The council members, which had to a student living within city limits and between the ages of 14 and 18, will serve one-term appointments and no more than 2 consecutive terms-with terms beginning and ending on September 15.
A release said members will be expected to participate in no less than six Charleston City Council meetings and volunteer a minimum of 20 hours which may include City events, roundtable discussions, project planning, and Youth Council meetings.
The selection committee for the council included Goodwin and six City Council Members-Ben Adams, Mary Beth Hoover, Joseph Jenkins, Adam Knauff, Tiffany Wesley-Plear and Chad Robinson.
A ceremonial swearing-in will take place during the December 2 Charleston City Council Meeting.