NAMPA, Idaho — Nampa's next generation of civic leaders meets at Nampa City Hall twice a month to learn about the community, civic engagement, and network with nonprofits and the local government.
- The Teen Council runs from September through about May and meets twice a month.
- Applications can be found at the Mayor's Teen. Council website.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
"I joined the Mayor's Teen Council because I know it has a lot of civic service which is what I love to do..."
Nampa's next generation of civic leaders meets at Nampa City Hall twice a month.
"...to learn more about the community, learn more about how local government works," says Columbia High School Junior Andrea Larsen. And she's graduating early.
For Andrea, her eyes are set on being involved and hands-on in the community and process.
"But really, you do want to be in this room," I check with her.
"Yes, I do want to be in this room," she confirms.
At this week's meeting, students are learning from Nampa non-profits. The Nampa Family Justice Center, Salvation Army, and Boys & Girls Club all talking with the teens.
Scholarships often consider a student's community service involvement. Many are encouraged to partner with non-profits to fulfill those opportunities while helping their neighbors.
The teen council started more than ten years ago with members creating traffic safety PSAs, working with the Idaho Office of Highway Safety, ringing bells for the Salvation Army, and participating in Rake Up & Clean Up Nampa initiatives. High school senior student Avery took matters into her own hands managing a volunteer project that is important to her.
"My dad works at the veterans home in Boise and after hearing all the stories of how veterans are not really visited, they don't really get items. I was like 'Okay we've got to figure out something so we can help with that,'" Avery Jessen recalls.
The goal was one hundred birthday boxes for local vets to pick from on their birthdays.
"One thing that went into it was 'how do we get these supplies?'" Jessen says.
That answer was donations from area schools and partnering with organizations. Boxes filled. Boxes decorated.
"After that, we got to go to the Boise Veterans home and present it to all the veterans and it was just a surreal moment of seeing our project go through," Jessen says.
