The City of Valparaiso is inviting youth to apply to join the annual Mayor’s Youth Council, designed to encourage youth to interact with City government, build leadership skills and enhance civic engagement. The Council will include 15-20 members for the 2023-24 school year and students entering their junior year in Fall, 2023 are encouraged to apply by May 31, 2023.
“We’ve been so pleased with the first two years of our Youth Council, sharing our mission and how city government works. We continue to learn from the students each year too,” said Valparaiso Mayor Matt Murphy. “This is a nonpolitical, educational council. We introduce the many areas of service within city government and perhaps spark some aspirations in the process. In fact, two former Youth Council members are currently serving on the Valparaiso Advisory Human Relations Council today,” he said.
The current Youth Council class is culminating their experience by hosting a Color Fun Run on May 19. For information and registration information, visit tinyurl.com/ValpoColorRun.
The Mayor’s Youth Council provides youth with an opportunity to network and build relationships with mentors, enhance skills and knowledge that could lead to serving their community and add to experience that could be used for job or education applications.
The new Mayor’s Youth Council will be sworn in by the Valparaiso City Council on Aug. 14, 2023. The Council will meet monthly on a Wednesday evening, gather for a daylong retreat in August and meet for volunteer opportunities throughout the year.
For more information and an application packet, visit tinyurl.com/MayorYouthCouncil or contact Community Engagement Director Maggie Clifton at MClifton@valpo.us or (219) 462-1161.
Join the Mayor’s Youth Council Color Fun Run
As one of their final activities, the Mayor’s Youth Council is hosting a Color Fun Run as a fundraiser for Valparaiso Parks. The Color Fun Run will be at 6:00 pm on Friday, May 19 at Fairgrounds Park, 704 McCord Rd. The event offers fun for the whole family, including a 1.5-mile course for walking, running and colorful fun, along with obstacle stations for added challenges. The run will begin and end by the baseball fields at Fairgrounds Park (north end). Cost is $25 per entry, $15 for students, with a $10 discount for families of four or more. To register, visit RunSignUp.com and search “Mayor’s Youth Council Color Fun Run” or visit tinyurl.com/ValpoColorRun.