Gladstone officials have begun recruitment for the city's inaugural set of Youth Council members.
Teenagers planning to attend Gladstone High School in the upcoming school year are eligible to apply for the Youth Council. Home-schooled high school students who live in Gladstone may also apply.
Gladstone City Council President Luke Roberts will be the liaison to the Youth Council, and City Councilor Vanessa Huckaby will be the alternate. A 2022 graduate of Gladstone High School, Roberts made history through his election to the City Council just as he turned 19.
Roberts said that he ran for election hoping to amplify youth voices in local governance and was heartened to see the strong partnership between the city and school district.
"It was encouraging to me to get so much support from the city council and school board in this Youth Council project," he said.
In pushing for Gladstone’s adoption of a new Youth Council ordinance, Roberts and Huckaby pointed to successful youth councils in nearby cities like West Linn, Oregon City and Happy Valley. They said that Gladstone’s Youth Council would be able to boost student voice in their municipal government and provide them with opportunities to serve the community.
Mayor Michael Milch and the rest of the city councilors agreed, with Milch saying that the Youth Council would do more than provide an easier way for young people to provide input to city officials.
“I see this as performing a lot of functions; one is sort of educational: They can develop a better understanding of how government works by participating in it,” he said.
Over the past year, Gladstone officials heard from representatives of neighboring youth councils and discussed the program with the Gladstone School Board and the Gladstone High School staff. After multiple work sessions, on Feb. 27 City Council reached a consensus to move forward with adopting the city’s Youth Council ordinance.
Gladstone’s Youth Council plans to meet monthly once its seven youth members are sworn into office in September. To apply for one of the positions, click here.