Youth Council Concludes its First Term, Identifies Focus Areas
Developed at the urging of the North Liberty City Council, the North Liberty Youth Council program launched in the fall of 2022. The program invites local high-school students to engage more deeply with the city, develop leadership skills, support the community through service projects and advocate for other young people in North Liberty. Members fulfilling their service to the 2022-2023 North Liberty Youth Council include Abby Stapleton (LHS), Asher Bonner (LHS), Avery Van Abbema (LHS), Chase Lovetinsky (CCA), Konstantin Titarenko (LHS), Leela Strand (LHS), Lucy Lohman (LHS), Madison Jurgens (Regina), Matthew Staber (LHS), Megan Quinn (LHS), Noah Egge (LHS), Olivia Roling (CCA), Piper Kearney (LHS) and Ruby Frank (LHS).
The group has met monthly since September, and members of this inaugural cohort have played a vital role in getting the North Liberty Youth Council program off to a strong start. The students developed a program mission, established rules of order, identified several areas of shared interest and selected the first projects to tackle as a team. Their work has already led to the development of two upcoming youth-centered programs. Summer Summit, a new mental health and wellness gathering for youth that the city will host on July 29, was developed in direct response to the Youth Council identifying a need for more mental health support for teens and their families. In addition, the Youth Council will host an outdoor film screening as part of this year’s Summer Send-Off on Aug. 19 in an effort to increase and diversify the engagement offerings that are available to teens in our city.
North Liberty Youth Council meetings have also provided opportunities for council members to discuss the things they love about living in North Liberty — things like safety, good community resources, lots of green spaces and trees and nice infrastructure — as well as several issues that are of greatest importance to them and their peers. As their term comes to an end, the youth councilors wanted to share some of those issues, as well as a few ideas about how some of those issues might be addressed, with the Mayor and City Council directly. To that end, the letter below was written by the members of the North Liberty Youth Council.
The first cohort of the North Liberty Youth Council concludes their term this summer. Several of our current members are slated to return for a second term this fall, and we are currently seeking applications from North Liberty high school students to fill remaining vacancies. More information and the application can be found at
northlibertyiowa.org/youthcouncil. We look forward to the opportunity to build on the great work of the inaugural cohort of the North Liberty Youth Council in the coming years.
Dear North Liberty City Council,
We hope this letter finds you well. The NL 2022-2023 Youth Council’s mission is to make sure all NL youth have the chance to excel by expanding equality and resources throughout the community and providing the building blocks for future youth councils to succeed. When the North Liberty Youth Council first met, we identified three areas of improvement we wanted to focus on for North Liberty youth; sustainability, social and economic justice, and youth activities. In this letter, the Youth Council will detail our stance on these issues and others as well as possible solutions.
Sustainability is a key issue that the North Liberty Youth Council feels North Liberty needs to expand upon. One concern in Iowa as a whole is pollution in our water and air. One initiative the Youth Council believes will both combat this issue and bring the community together, is a competition among North Liberty neighborhoods where the neighborhood to collect and recycle the most trash gets a reward. Additionally, everyone should also have a place to connect with nature and enjoy the outdoors. Instilling the care of nature at a young age will only lead to our city becoming a better place. The Youth Council encourages equitable programs as, historically, upper-class neighborhoods have been more likely to receive sustainability resources and initiatives, such as community gardens and parks. Equitable programs would help instill this love of nature in everyone.
Social and economic justice is next on our list of priorities. Increasing acceptance and advocating for the LGBTQIA+ community and other marginalized groups will always be important. As Jesse Jackson once said, “‘Inclusion is not a matter of political correctness. It is the key to growth”’. The Youth Council believes that more resources need to be put into more hygiene/food drives, supply donation events, and mental health resources. All youth should have access to these things. The Youth Council of North Liberty wants to see North Liberty grow into a city that any citizen can be proud of and feel welcome in. The Youth Council is enthusiastic about the Summer Summit and hopes that if it goes well North Liberty will continue to do similar activities throughout the years.
A lack of youth activities is another concern. One of the biggest issues facing youth is isolation and feeling disconnected from their community. This issue is at the top of the Youth Council’s list of areas of improvement for North Liberty, especially for teenagers. The North Liberty Recreation Center is great for those who enjoy swimming, reading, and basketball. However, youth who don’t live near the center and do not have access to transportation as well as older children and teenagers who are not interested in those activities, are left with few entertainment options. Improvement in public transportation in North Liberty could allow youth to more easily connect through things such as the Rec Center. Lack of transportation options, such as public buses, creates loneliness between youth who are unable to otherwise travel, as they are unable to operate or afford a vehicle. We want to focus on encouraging youth to get out and enjoy our great city by creating more teen centered venues. However, youth are not able to reach such venues without transportation available to them.
We also have some extra ideas that might give youth in our city activities and connections to each other. We propose community gardens. These gardens will be public, so anyone can help with planting, harvesting, watering, plowing, etc. Additionally, we believe allowing free or reduced prices for the food produced would be fantastic to encourage people, especially youth, to enjoy the outside by helping the community at large and increasing the sustainability of our city.
Though we have identified specific areas for further improvement, the city is already working towards many of the goals we have identified. For example, more transportation opportunities such as the new underground tunnel allow for much safer street crossing. Reducing the lanes of Ranshaw Way North of 240th street and Scales Bend Road make the road safer and allow for bicycle connectivity to the North. We are proud of the prosperity of our area. However, we recognize areas for improvement. Thank you for the work you are doing and for seeking youths’ needs.
Sincerely,
The North Liberty Youth Council
