The Airway Heights Parks and Recreation Department held an informational meeting Dec. 19 for the city’s Youth Advisory Committee (YAC). Department staff, along with several youth discussed goals and programs they would like to implement once the officers are appointed to the committee.
The proposal for the YAC came last year after discussions involving Parks Recreation and Community Director J.C. Kennedy, Mayor Patrick Rushing and Councilman Dave Malet. According to Kennedy, the city does not offer many activities or programs catered to teenagers within the city.
The City Council passed an ordinance to approve the formation of the committee at its Feb. 3 meeting.
Kennedy added that the Parks and Recreation Department can propose teen programs to the City Council, however these suggestions are more valid if they come from the people the programs would be serving.
“I can go to City Council and say ‘we need this’ or ‘we need that’ but it carries more weight if it comes from the youth in our community,” Kennedy said.
Several of the youth in attendance identified issues for teenagers and Airway Heights, as well as developed programs and solutions to help cure them. Some of the suggestions included access to technology beyond the limited hours from the library, opportunities for teens to perform plays in the community and celebrating different holiday events.
One of the first projects YAC will focus on is providing a spot for late-night drop ins and offer teens a place to be on a Friday or Saturday night.
“Another idea that was well received by the group was a place where kids can go work on a group project or study for finals,” Parks, Recreation and Community Services supervisor Andy Gardner said.
Gardner added that YAC will work to promote and recognize local youth who are participating in activities outside of school, whether it’s a student who is playing in a band playing a concert or a member of the Future Farmers of America who placed high at a regional competition.
In addition to programs, the commission allows officers to accumulate volunteer hours required for their high school graduation. It also teaches them how local government works.
Gardner and Kennedy would like to get 10 or more applications before they forward them to City Council, who will appoint the officers. They hope to have the first official committee meeting, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015.
Although they would have liked to have seen more faces at the meeting, Gardner and Kennedy were pleased with how kids responded to the idea of the committee, as well as their ideas.
“We still need more kids, but we got off to a pretty good start,” Gardner said.
Al Stover can be reached at al@cheneyfreepress.com.
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