A new Valdosta Youth Council, initiated by Mayor John Gayle and approved by the Valdosta City Council at their Sept. 24 meeting, seeks to inspire local 7th and 8th grade students to build leadership and civic responsibility, to gain a better understanding of municipal government, and to prepare youth for a lifetime of public and community service. The VYC will officially be sworn in at the Oct. 22, 2015 Valdosta City Council meeting.
 
“We want to engage these students in their local government before they reach high school and give them opportunities to grow as leaders in our community,” said Mayor Gayle. “This is a youth-run council, guided by an Advisory Board of local educators and city staff. These students will operate much like the Valdosta City Council, and they will have a true impact in our community.”
 
In order to participate, students must be enrolled in a public or private middle school located within the Valdosta city limits and must have a minimum 2.5 grade point average. Educators in these schools will nominate students for the 2015-2016 inaugural program. Once selected, the youth must commit to attend the seven scheduled monthly meetings and complete a minimum of eight community service hours.
 
“Kids have good ideas and their voices can be important in coming up with real ideas to tackle these problems,” wrote Abbi Long of Valdosta Middle School, in her “If I Were Mayor” essay that she wrote while in 6th grade. Her words of wisdom and ideas presented in her essay supported the mayor’s initiative and won her first place in the 2015 contest, held in April. Now in the 7th grade, Long aspires to be a part of the inaugural VYC.  
 
“Just because we don’t vote does not mean that we don’t matter or that our voices are meaningless,” said Long. “Kids are the future leaders of this city.”
 
Mayor Gayle plans to expand the VYC to high school grades for the 2016-2017 program year, growing the organization in numbers and in its effectiveness in the community.
 
The deadline to submit applications is Friday, Oct. 2. Click here to view application, or contact City Clerk Teresa Bolden at (229) 259-3503 or Public Information Officer Sementha Mathews at (229) 259-3548 for more information.