Inaugural Youth Council highlights local issues in legislative package
Members of the Maui County Youth Council and the Maui County Council pose for a photo at a Dec. 5 meeting. The Youth Council, made up of local high school students, is a pilot project to help get youth engaged in county government and learn about local issues. Photos courtesy Maui County
Maui County Youth Council Chairperson Therese Nicholle “Nikki” Ignacio presides over the council’s Dec. 5 meeting.
Members of the Maui County Youth Council and the Maui County Council pose for a photo at a Dec. 5 meeting. The Youth Council, made up of local high school students, is a pilot project to help get youth engaged in county government and learn about local issues. Photos courtesy Maui County
Maui County Youth Council Chairperson Therese Nicholle “Nikki” Ignacio presides over the council’s Dec. 5 meeting.
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The Maui News
The inaugural Maui County Youth Council, a pilot project aimed at getting students involved in local government, adopted resolutions at its Dec. 5 meeting for inclusion in the 2022 Maui County Youth legislative package, Maui County Council Member Kelly Takaya King announced.
Resolutions were prepared and proposed by the members of the Youth Council, who are high school students from across Maui County. They met in the Council Chamber to receive public testimony and deliberate on their proposed resolutions, which touched on topics ranging from housing to school funding to the mental health of teens.
The 10 resolutions adopted by majority vote will be transmitted to the Maui County Council and will be on Friday's agenda.
King said the resolution proposals represent policy priorities of Maui County's youth, and she hopes the issues will be addressed by the incoming council.
"The Youth Council members were extremely comfortable and poised, as well as passionate and thoughtful in their comments in regard to issues that matter to all of us," King said in a news release Monday. "The first Maui County Youth Council was a resounding success, and I would vote for any of these brilliant young minds in the next election for Council."
The Youth Council was a pilot project proposed by King and established by the Maui County Council to explore youth engagement in county government. The students met with council members and community leaders to learn about county government and local issues over the past year.
Members included elected officers Chairperson Therese Nicholle "Nikki" Ignacio, Vice Chairperson India Buchanan and Officer Pro Tempore Natalie Petty. Other members include Dylan Arisumi, Raje Bluml, Dylan Bowen, Grace Crowe, Anna Galbreath and Jacob Janikowski. Youth Council participants John Kaahui and Gizelle Rodrigues were also present.
Axel Beers, senior executive assistant for King and former social studies teacher, served as the Youth Council's adviser.
"I would like to thank everybody in this room," Ignacio said. "Thank you to our youth council advisor. Thank you Councilmember King for giving us this opportunity to let the youth voice what's important to them. What you guys are doing is really great. I am so honored to have worked with all of you. Thank you, councilmembers. I have had a really nice couple of months. This was an amazing experience and opportunity."
The recorded Dec. 5 meeting is available at facebook.com/MauiCountyCouncil.
To read the Youth Council's legislative package, and for more information on the County Council meeting, visit mauicounty.us/agendas.