Interested in working with all ages in our community, the Joplin City Council welcomed 11 members to the new Joplin Youth Council at its June 3, 2019 meeting. The Youth Council will advise the City Council on issues that specifically affect the younger generation.
This initiative started after hearing a National League of Cities presentation focusing on the youth’s vitality within a community and the importance of providing them service opportunities. Council members Melodee Colbert Kean and Ryan Stanley volunteered to work on a planning committee with City staff and local school representatives to develop the parameters and focus of this advisory board.
The planning committee met with high school students from Joplin’s public and private schools to encourage them apply for this unique opportunity. Members are required to be Joplin residents and enrolled in grades 10 through 12. Terms are for one year and expire in May. Members may reapply at that time to continue serving on the council.
The committee selected the 11 members from the 24 applicants and introduced them at the Council meeting.
Members of the 2019-2020 Youth Council are:
Name Grade School `
Casey Bonds 12 Joplin High
Dillon Dodge 12 Thomas Jefferson
Julian Garrett 12 Joplin High
Rosalyn Jourdan 11 Joplin High
Kambrea Manning 11 College Heights
Jane Min 11 Thomas Jefferson
Riley Peterson 11 College Heights
Jake Saunders 11 Joplin High
Spencer Vreeland 12 Joplin High
Cora Wesley 11 Joplin High
Audrey Wheeler 10 McAuley
The board will meet at least once monthly during the school year. A strategic planning session is scheduled for August, and the group plans to take two trips during the school year. The board will attend a Missouri legislative session in Jefferson City, and up to six Youth Council members will attend the National League of Cities conference in Washington DC in March 2020. The Council will also select a service project to complete during the school year.
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