Eighteen interested teens came out to the very first meeting to begin a youth council in the community.
The council will consist of high school age youth interested in helping to develop youth programming in the area.
The group is going to meet again April 17, but is already working on a name, logo, mission statement and Facebook page thanks to modern technology which will allow them to make some decisions collectively online instead of having to meet in person.
“We don’t want to waste lots of meetings going over the fine details,” said Jana Gainor, youth program coordinator for the Fireweed Collective Society.
The council and other programs are thanks to a grant of $197,000 from the Community Action Initiative Fireweed received last year.
The funding will help to implement programs and activities for youth over the next two years, by which time they will hopefully be able to obtain further funding.
The youth council will also have a budget which the students can then put towards implementing some of their own ideas and initiatives.
“I’m trying to guide them but not influence them too much,” said Gainor, who was impressed with not only the diversity and the numbers of the turnout, but the interest in the council meeting attendees.