Taylor Stone

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to participate in your local government? Have you ever dreamt of having a future career in politics? Are you simply looking for ways to make an addition to your glowing resume? If the answer was an enthusiastic “yes!” to each of these questions, search no more. A new addition to the Clayton community can surely satisfy each of these interests.

Plans have been unveiled for a Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council in Clayton, an organization in collaboration between the City of Clayton and the Clayton School District. Its purpose is to encourage high-school students to become active participants in the local government and to encourage youth involvement. Applications for the position of a Council Member will be solicited between May 1 and May 31, with the positions being chosen in July.

Mayor Linda Goldstein pioneered the innovative organization, researching it and proposing it to the Clayton School District School Board as well as the Board of Alderman.

Goldstein was inspired by the close relationship between the Clayton School District and the city of Clayton to propose the idea of the MYAC.

“It’s something that I’ve wanted to do. I really value the partnership that the city and the school district have and the fact that they’re very much dependent on each other for success. I wanted to do a collaborative effort with the school district for this project,” Goldstein said.

Goldstein was also inspired by student involvement that she witnessed herself in the local government.

“When I was alderman of liason on the environmental committee, I saw the involvement CHS students had on the smoking legislation. I was so impressed with their passion. A student group came to meetings, held signs, and was truly passionate about the city. It would be so great to engage more students in this way.”

With Mayor Goldstein’s inspiration in mind, both the Board of Alderman and the school board ironed out the details and organizational structure of the future MYAC.

“Students going into their junior or senior year in the fall of 2010 are eligible,” Community Advisor Laura Stanton said. “Eight students and three alternates will be selected. Seniors will serve one year, but juniors will serve through graduation.  The council is not limited to students who are interested in politics as a career—it is for anyone who has a curiosity about their local government and a willingness to be part of the dialogue. “

To be sure, the MYAC will be advisory-only in nature and students will have the privilege of expressing their opinions by evaluating assigned issues and submitting recommendations to Mayor Goldstein and the Board of Alderman.

The structure of the MYAC will demonstrate this promotion of youth expression and involvement in the government of Clayton.

“The council structure will mimic the city government,” Stanton said. “Members will elect a Youth Mayor, Youth Mayor Pro Temp and Secretary; the rest will receive a spot on a city commission, so they will get a chance to see the inner workings of decision making on issues they care about, as well as develop relationships with the people on their commission.”
Some of the city commissions that the MYAC will be involved with as ex-officio members are the Economic Development Advisory Council, the Ecology & Environmental Awareness Committee, the Board of Alderman, the Parks & Recreation Committee, the Chamber of Commerce, and the School Board Liasion.

Goldstein hopes that this structure will encourage members of the council to explore specific issues that correlate with their personal interests.

“With input from the commissions, I think the youth advisors group will find an issue that really sparks their interest,” Goldstein said. “It’s okay for the members not to have one right of the bat. If there is something that seems pertinent and interesting to them they can be involved with that and study it further.”

In addition to attending City of Clayton commission meetings, the council will meet quarterly as to discuss the progress on issues, as well as have guest speakers and tour various government facilities.

Alderman Alex Berger believes that such activities will be beneficial to the development of the members of the MYAC.

“I think that this will give hands-on information to students,” Berger said. “The perspective of a high-school student is not one that is necessarily sought out. Here in this circumstance, that will be the case. “

The involvement of the youth of Clayton viewed to be to the advantage of the city as an entity by the creators of the MYAC.

“One of the first thing I learned when elected as mayor of Clayton is that I could study something and go into trying to make a decision on an issue with my point of view, but my opinion often wasn’t the right one.” Goldstein said. “I have to take into consideration others ideas, as a collective decision is really the best decision.”

Berger agrees that a collective decision based upon the voices of all involved is optimal.

“When we talk about what’s happening in our community, it’s not just for people of the age of 18,” Berger said. “It’s for everyone who works, lives, and comes to our city. That perspective is undeniably positive. If you’re a 17 year old, why wouldn’t we want to hear your opinion? We’re responsive to any citizen and we consider people under the age of 18 to be citizens.”

Sadly, the voice of youth has been largely absent from most of the political processes of the various levels of the U.S. government. The involvement of teens in politics has been notoriously touted as low. The MYAC will move to fix this societal issue.

“I think low turnout is a reflection of a population that believes nobody cares what they think,” Stanton said. “While St. Louis as a metro area is large and unwieldy, Clayton is a small community—one that students can have a stake in. Their aldermen and committee members are their neighbors. These are not inaccessible people. And when kids realize they have access to the people making the decisions in this city, the possibilities of influence are exciting. Remember, the city is INVITING students to become part of the conversation.”

Goldstein also points to a reason why some Clayton teens do not consider civic involvement as a priority.

“I think the main reason [for low youth involvement in local government] is how busy you all are already,” Goldstein said. “I know how it is to be studying and have volunteer activities, A.P. courses, and part time job. Time is certainly one element. I also think that sometimes it’s hard to understand how to get involved- to go to meetings, and know when they are and what happens there.”

With the encouragement of youth involvement in mind, the MYAC will truly benefit the city of Clayton and its citizens.

“I think that it will be wonderful for our city because of the input to the city and also to the students who are interested in leadership opportunities,” Goldstein said. “It will benefit them as they apply to college, go into political science or public health, etc.”

Berger also expresses his confidence in the improvements the council will bring to Clayton.

“This will be a great opportunity for the community,” Berger said. “This is new, but has the potential to generate tremendous value of everyone who participates and the community. I’m really very positive about the council.”

Truly, the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council will be an innovative organization that strives to bridge a connection between students and their government.

“I think that people who feel invested in their community tend to raise their own personal standards and treat their surroundings as something precious,” Stanton said. “Youth of today are immersed in a virtual world of Facebook, Twitter and the internet. The MYAC will give them a chance to make a mark on their real world: their neighborhoods, their schools, their parks, and their urban center.”