Parma Youth Commission applications accepted

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PARMA, Ohio - In his State of the City speech in February, Mayor Tim DeGeeter announced that he’d like to implement a Parma Youth Commission. He wanted City Council President Sean Brennan to draw on his experience as a high school teacher to facilitate and run the group.

The Parma Youth Commission has now been created to give young Parma residents in grades 9 through 12 the opportunity to take a more active role in and learn more about their community. Students will be given opportunities to participate in local government, network with community business and non-profit leaders, and plan and implement community service projects. The program’s direction is variable, though, based on suggestions from the group about how to make Parma an even better place for young people to live.

Ideally, the group will help the city’s leaders to become more connected with the City’s youth and to build a corps of youth leaders.

“Our youth are important members of our community and we want them to feel valued and to have their voices heard,” Mayor DeGeeter said. “The Youth Commission will help them realize that they are important residents and have a responsibility to get involved and to make a difference.”

Added Council President Brennan: “By giving young men and women a voice and empowering them, hopefully the city can benefit from endless new ideas, opportunities and ultimately, positive results.”

The Commission will begin as a 10- to 12-member group, and efforts will be made to ensure that the group reflects the community’s diversity. Public, private and home-schooled students are welcome to apply.  Meetings will take place about once a month, but may include more as the group plans its activities.

A short application form is available on the home page of the City of Parma’s website at www.cityofparma-oh.gov and to be considered for the 2014-2015 school term, is due on May 9, 2014.

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