Youth Advisory Commission gives students a voice

The City of Temple is giving students a chance to have a voice in their community with the creation of a new Youth Advisory Commission.

“This commission will be a group of students who are interested in what it means to be a responsible citizen,” Program Coordinator Miranda Lugo said. “We’re excited about the prospect of getting a group of individuals together who can really get interested in local municipality and what it means to affect real change on a governmental level.”

Participants will have the opportunity to learn about aspects of municipal government, share their ideas with city leadership and gain hands-on experience.

“It will include aspects of citizenship – giving back and volunteering in meaningful ways,” Lugo said. “We’re going to be doing work that has a positive impact on the community around us.”

Commission members must either reside within the City of Temple or attend a public or private school located within the City of Temple or the City’s extraterritorial jurisdiction. Applicants will serve one-year appointments, with meetings starting in the fall.

Lugo hopes the commission will inspire students to become leaders in their communities, both now and in the future.

“We want them to take a risk and have a vested interest in the world around them,” Lugo said. “We want them to feel empowered and capable of affecting real change on a level that they might not have felt capable doing before.”

Applications will be available through Sept. 30. For more information, visit templetx.gov/yac or call 254-800-5381.