Youth Representatives

News and Views

Rochester Hills Government Youth Council Hosts Youth Summit

April 30, 2008

Over 100 teens gave up a sunny Saturday in April to learn about local government at the Rochester Hills Government Youth Council's (RHGYC) Youth Leadership and Involvement in Local Government Summit.

The Summit, held April 26 at the Rochester Hills City Hall, featured keynote speakers Mayor Bryan K. Barnett, and Rochester Adams graduate and candidate for State Representative Copper Rizzo.

Breakout sessions with City departments and two mock council sessions were the highlights of the Summit.  Icebreakers, lunch and DJ entertainment broke up the day of learning with food, music and fun.

The Youth Summit covered some very pressing issues, including traffic control, police surveillance in the schools, problems with the deer overpopulation in the community, fiscal issues, property maintenance and more.  Students studied these topics in their morning breakout sessions and then presented them to two Mock Councils in the afternoon for consideration.

"We are proud of the students and the leadership that they bring to our community," said City Council Representative to the RHGYC, Vern Pixley.  "Special thanks go to the Department heads that gave up a good portion of their Saturday to provide guidance and explain what they do on a daily basis to give these young adults the experience and the exposure to our City government."
 
The RHGYC is accepting applications for next year's Youth Council.  Information and application packets are available in the Clerk's office, or on the web in the Youth Council's area of the Rochester Hills City website, at www.rochesterhills.org.  Applications are due in the Clerk's Office at City Hall by Friday, May 23, 2008.

Youth Council Delegates Visit Lansing
April 2, 2008

The Rochester Hills Government Youth Council (RHGYC) was well-represented at the Michigan Municipal League's annual Capital Conference.  Eleven members of RHGYC traveled to Lansing on April 2nd to participate in a day filled with activities specifically geared toward youth delegates. 

RHGYC members are an integral part of the Youth Day for the MML, once again hosting a Mock City Council Meeting at the conference which dealt with a newsworthy and controversial topic – whether Dress Codes can be mandated for public places.   A five-member council was selected, public comment cards were distributed to students to solicit arguments for and against the topic, and students from youth councils all over Michigan participated in a vigorous discussion over the pros and cons of dress codes in the fictitious City of Great Hope.

The Youth Day is designed to give students a better understanding of how local and state government work and work together, and encourage delegates to get involved so they, too, can make a difference in their communities.  In addition to the Mock Council session, delegates enjoyed lunch with their adult peers and took an hour-long insider's tour of the Capitol.

The RHGYC was established by the Rochester Hills City Council to promote youth involvement in local government.  The Youth Council's makeup includes two representatives from each City Council district and five at-large members.  Members serve for one-year terms, which run concurrent with the school year.  For information on Youth Council, contact Leanne Scott, Adult Advisor, at 248-841-2460.

The Capitol steps made a great spot for a break after the RHGYC's tour!

Youth Council Presents Donated Supplies
To Pontiac School
February 27, 2008
 

Rochester Hills Government Youth Council Representatives (RHGYC) traveled to Walt Whitman Elementary School in Pontiac on Wednesday, February 27, to deliver donated school supplies they had collected for the elementary students.

RHGYC representatives Dalina Ivezaj and Molly Graham, accompanied by Youth Council Advisor Leanne Scott and Administrative Secretary Christine Wissbrun made the presentation to the Pontiac elementary of six boxes full to the brim of notebooks, folders, construction paper, pencils, pens, crayons, glue sticks, and more.

The School Supply collection is just one of the projects the RHGYC has initiated to help the greater community.  RHGYC students collected donated supplies at their respective schools, their workplaces, and even in a bin at City Hall.  The supplies were collected over the course of many months and designated for Walt Whitman Elementary.

The Rochester Hills City Council has established the Rochester Hills Government Youth Council (RHGYC) to promote youth involvement in local government through active participation and the mutual exchange of ideas and experience.  The 15-member Council includes youth representatives from each District.  Youth members serve one-year terms with the opportunity for reappointment and terms run concurrent with the school year, September 1 through August 31.  High schools attended by Youth Council students this year include Rochester, Rochester Adams, Stoney Creek, Avondale, Marian, Notre Dame Preparatory, Cranbrook Kingswood, and International Academy.

RHGYC members Molly Graham (left) and Dalina Ivezaj pack up donated school

supplies to ready them for delivery to Walt Whitman Elementary.

RHGYC members Dalina Ivezaj and Molly Graham at Walt Whitman Elementary

with their collected supplies.

The Rochester Hills Government Youth Council (RHGYC) announces its first annual Youth Leadership and Involvement in Local Government Summit, set for Saturday, April 26, 2008 at the Rochester Hills City Hall.

The RHGYC has invited youth government and leadership councils from all over Michigan to participate in the summit, geared toward educating youth on their role in local government. 

Student groups will learn the inner workings of government at the day-long event through keynote sessions on departments with local government and participate in a mock council meeting.  The summit will also feature keynote speaker, Copper Rizzo, District Coordinator for Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, and candidate in the race to succeed term-limited 45th district State Representative John Garfield.

Groups can register for the Youth Summit at no cost.  Donations to help defray the Summit expenses are being accepted through the Community Foundation of Greater Rochester; donations need to specify "Youth Summit". 

Interested groups can visit the Youth Representative area of the Rochester Hills website, www.rochesterhills.org for the Summit flyer, agenda, and registration forms.  The registration deadline for the Youth Summit is March 31, 2008.  For more information, please contact Youth Advisor and Rochester Hills City Council Coordinator Leanne Scott at (248) 841-2460.

Mission Statement To provide an opportunity for the youth to have a role in the City's decision-making process through committees that address City and youth issues, and encourage the education of youth regarding city government and citizen participation.

The City Council is now accepting applications through May 23rd for consideration for membership to the Rochester Hills Government Youth Council.  For more detailed information and to receive an application, contact Leanne Scott, City Council Liaison, at (248) 841-2460 or visit the City's website at www.rochesterhills.org. 

The Rochester Hills City Council is committed to involving youth in local government.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact:

City of Rochester Hills Clerk's Office
Leanne Scott, Adult Advisor
1000 Rochester Hills Dr.
Rochester Hills, MI 48039
Phone (248) 841-2460
Fax  (248) 656-4744
email