Community VoicesCouncil member says the group is helping break the stigma surrounding the city.
Riviera Beach’s Youth Council, a state-recognized advisory board, held its first public meeting of the year on Feb. 12 at the city library.
Why it matters: Youth Council members, high school students four months into their yearlong term, are developing plans to engage with their peers, learn about local government, perform community service and pursue projects to improve life in the city.
City Council Vice Chair KaShamba Miller-Anderson lauded the students, saying that they are helping to break the stigma surrounding Riviera Beach.
Catch up quick: After a Nov. 15 town hall meeting, they attended the Florida League of Cities Legislative Days in January in Tallahassee, where they were joined by other youth councils from across the state. During their visit to the state Capitol, members of the Legislature welcomed and invited them to visit the floor of both chambers. The students met with elected officials and learned about representing their city.
“I learned the acronym SPECIAL,” said Youth Council member Kristopher Thurston, “which was shake hands, posture, eye contact, charm, introduce, ask and listen.”
What they are saying: “I was so proud,” said Erik Range, the mayor’s chief of staff, as he talked about the trip to Tallahassee. “I just had to take a step back and smile.”
What’s next: In May, Youth Council members will host a public Youth Expo at the city’s Marina Village Event Center, where they will address topics such as mental health, finances and STEM education, and be joined by vendors and speakers.
Who wrote this story: This story was reported by Community Voices writers Abigail Guillaume and Mikala Graham.
What is CV: Community Voices is a partnership between Stet News and Inlet Grove High School. Stet News is underwriting the pilot to train and pay students to cover Riviera Beach.
Inlet Grove journalism teacher C.B. Hanif and Stet’s Liz Capozzi contributed to this story.
