Here they are: The City’s 2004 crop of high school students that have been appointed by the City Council to serve as ex officio members of our citizen advisory boards and commissions:
Cole Johnson, Apoorva Shah, and Roby Shrestha on our Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission.
Jackie Beutell, Tara Degn, and Hojun Lee on our Human Rights and Diversity Commission.
Trevor Diddell, Katie Kunitz, and Benjamin Costello on our Heritage Preservation Commission.
Casey Carlson, Evan Estrine, and Carly Hofstedt on our Arts and Culture Commission.
The students will attend the regular monthly meetings of the boards and commissions. They will receive and read all the same prep materials that we provide to our regular board and commission members. We encourage them to participate in the discussion of the board or commission. We especially encourage them to lend us their insights and opinions. The only thing they don’t do is cast an official vote.
We organize a students on commission program each year because the City Council and City staff feel it is important to help educate the youth of Eden Prairie about the workings of democracy. We need to do our small part to teach citizenship. We may not see the payoff from our efforts right here in Eden Prairie, but someday these students will be citizens somewhere. And if we can play a role in creating engaged citizens for some future government, then that makes our efforts all worthwhile.
Here’s to citizenship!
Have a great year.
