MILLCREEK, Utah — Many cities have a “State of the City” address every year, but have you ever heard of the “State of the Youth” address? On Monday night at Millcreek’s city council meeting, their Youth Student Council did just that.
From school schedules to affordable housing, these students are getting involved in their local government. Their hope is to make a positive impact on their community.
Millcreek City Youth Council Mayor Heidi Jackson said it’s a busy schedule, juggling everything as a senior in high school. Being involved in the youth council has given her many opportunities to speak up for fellow students.
“We talked to all of our council and came up with a giant list on a whiteboard of what mattered to us and what we thought would matter to all of our youth, and it was a really long list,” Jackson said.
That long list turned into a survey for fellow students. She said it had about 20 questions on it, and it asked students to rank issues on different scales. That survey and research helped her and her council craft a speech to read to the city council on Monday.
“We are engaged, motivated and filled with untapped potential. We are a generation that cares about our future and is ready to work to make it the best it can be,” Jackson said in her address.
The address focused on different issues from flex schedules in schools to safety surrounding immigration and gun violence.
Jackson said the student survey showed that 32% of students don’t feel like they have a voice in their school, city, or community policies.
While Millcreek Mayor Cheri Jackson currently sits as the chair for council meetings, she said it’s these students who will make the difference in the future.
“We want to make sure that what we are doing reflects their interests, needs and values, so hearing their voice, hearing their thoughts and ideas is very important to us,” Jackson said.
Millcreek became a city nearly 10 years ago, and since then, civic engagement has been an important aspect of its community.
“We are working to make sure that what we need for our future is incorporated into policy in this room because the state of the youth in Millcreek isn’t just about today — it’s about the future we are building together,” Jackson said.
Although it’s Millcreek's first youth address, they hope they’ll continue to be a voice for students for years to come.
