The auditorium at the Senior Center is packed with Orem
citizens all trying to get a feel for this year’s candidates. There are tables lining the room with
information on each candidate and a place to write down questions for the
candidates. The room hushes as everyone
is welcomed, and following the pledge of allegiance, the questions begin. Every election year all the work for this event—from
the set-up to the hosting—is provided by a group of teenagers who themselves
are too young to vote. That fact is
incredible. This impressive group is the Orem
Youth Council.
I participated in the Orem Youth Council (OYC) throughout my
high school career. Participation is
open to anyone living in Orem in grades 10-12.
I joined specifically because I was interested in government and
politics at the local level. Besides
"Meet the Candidates Night" we attended the regular City Council meetings, and
also had our own mock city council meetings where we discussed issues facing
the city and how we would solve them. Looking
back, the advisors taught us all about our local government,
but it was all through personal, hands-on experience.
These political activities are the main focus of the Orem Youth
Council, but there are other types of activities that make it a
well-rounded experience. For example, in
my family, three (soon to be 4) of us siblings have participated in OYC. Even
though we have different personalities and interests, there was something about
OYC that attracted each of us. And even I
(the one with an interest in government) found these other aspects of the youth
council valuable additions because they made OYC more fun and meaningful.
My brother, instead politics, has a passion
for Orem and our community (hence this blog).
As part of the youth council we toured the city for a day. "Local government is really where the rubber meets the road
as far as the services that (these youth) know about and receive personally,”
said Paul Johnson, Orem City Attorney and long-time advisor to the OYC. “For example, they turn on the tap, and it’s
city of Orem that is sending the water their way…. when they dial 911, it’s
Orem police and Orem fire and medical that show up. I think they need an
understanding of how city government works." We met with all of the
departments that he mentioned and more.
We learned it takes many people working hard day in and day out to make
Orem function.
On a different level, what my younger sister most enjoyed about
OYC was being involved and giving back to the community. OYC works hard each year to make a positive
contribution to our community through several service projects. Back when I was on the youth council we
recorded the histories of our war veterans, beautified city road sides, put up flags in the cemetary on Memorial Day, and provided Christmas for local families.
Orem Youth Council makes a real difference in our community, and not just in the
lives of the citizens on the receiving end of the service. The teens participating in OYC will have unforgettable experiences. I personally made several new
friends, learned about Orem and our local government, and got to serve. OYC is also a valuable program for the city as well. Johnson said, “The
more people we have out there who understand on a first-hand basis how things
work in the city government, the better off we are."
Quotes taken from: http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/article_28e852dc-de80-5156-8aac-bf01705aa569.html)
Other
resources:
No comments:
Post a Comment