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One way that Eagle Mountain has setup for the youth to get involved is through the Youth Council. The youth council is defined by Eagle Mountain City code in Chapter 2.45. Basically the code states that the youth council has the following purpose and responsibilities. It is designed to give the youth of the Cedar Valley (Eagle Mountain, Cedar Fort, and Fairfield) a greater knowledge of and appreciation for the cities representative form of government. The council is to help the Mayor and City Council solve problems, by working directly with them. It is also to serve the youth by informing the government of their needs and wishes, and to plan social, educational, and recreational activities for the youth.
Colby Curtis, a member of the Eagle Mountain City Council, as well as the Councils liaison for the Youth Council, made this comment about the Youth Council. “Youth Council is a valuable program for the youth in our community. I have watched the service opportunities help strengthen the character and work ethic of each of those who have participated. Right now, we need more youth coming out to these Youth Council meetings as well as parents who can volunteer to offer unique civic activities to the youth (e.g. opportunities to tour facilities, to experience government at various levels, to experience unique aspects of history, etc.) Youth Council meets every second and fourth Wednesday at City Hall from 5:30 to 6:30pm in the council chambers (or conference room as a backup) and youths aged 14-18 are encouraged to participate. If you have a unique activity or experience you feel would be a great opportunity for the youth, please share it with me at ccurtis@emcity.org”
The Youth Council is setup to mimic the structure of the Eagle Mountain Mayor and City Council structure. It consists of a Youth Mayor, and five Youth Council Members. Additional youth can also be appointed to serve as a committee member. Recently the Youth Council, during a City Council Meeting, give an agenda item to the City Council that changed the Code that governs the Youth Council. They modified the code and included some clarity to things that they felt needed to be changed. The Youth Council Mayor presented the changes, and then the City Council discussed and made the code changes they presented.
Hannah Nearman, the current Mayor of the Eagle Mountain Youth Council says that they have participated in a wide range of service activities lately in the Eagle Mountain area. These activities are part of the goal of the Youth Council to provide social, educational, and recreational avenues for the youth in the area. Those activities included: the rodeo, the enduro cross race, the demolition derby, the booth for the new high school at the carnival, santa on the the fire truck, the family fun nights, the Easter egg hunt, pancake dinner, beat the heat bonanza, the street fair, the stick horse rodeo, and the mascot miracles foundation. Hannah continues, “Being a part of the youth council has helped me learn how to be a leader, how to communicate with other people, how to follow through with commitments, and I got to meet a ton of great people while doing it. It is a lot of fun to help out with events, go to retreats and leadership training and I got a chance to really get to know and understand my community and local government. I have loved being a part of this council.”
Jordan Noyes, also a member of the youth council talks about his experience in the council. “Youth council is honestly one of the coolest experiences, I have enjoyed my time there so much! Helping out at the events is way fun too, it’s fun to see all the people and how excited they get. I think my favorite event was going on the firetruck with Santa and throwing out candy to the little kids, I loved seeing their faces as we passed and when they saw Santa standing up on the truck was awesome!”
If you would like more information you can contact Colby Curtis of the Eagle Mountain City Council, he is the current liaison for the City Council to the Youth Council. You can email him at: ccurtis@emcity.org
Mike Kieffer is an IT geek by hobby and trade, with a BS in Information Systems & Technology. He is a proud father of 10, a grandpa, an author, a journalist, and internet publisher. His motto is to “Elevate, Inspire and Inform”, and he is politically conservative and a Christian. Mike has a passion for technology, writing, and helping others. With a wealth of experience, he is committed to sharing his knowledge with others to help them reach their full potential. He is known for his jackassery or his form of self-expression that encourages boldness, creativity, and risk-taking. It can be a way to push the boundaries and challenge traditional norms, leading to creative solutions and positive change.