Politics & Government

Woodbury Recruiting Teens for City Commission

Two new positions have been added to the Parks and Recreation Commission for 11th and 12th graders.

High school students, Woodbury wants you.

The Woodbury City Council on Wednesday unanimously passed a measure that adds two spots on the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission specifically reserved for high school students.

“It’s a great opportunity to get students involved,” Mayor Mary Giuliani Stephens said. “It gets them involved in the community. It gets them involved in a leadership role.”

Find out what's happening in Woodburywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The change will add two members to the commission, and for high school students it would be one-year terms, Stephens said, shorter than the typical length for city bodies because “with high school students, there’s a little more uncertainty.”

The teenagers have to be in 11th or 12th grade and live in Woodbury, though they do not have to attend a school within city limits. (They could also be home-schooled.)

Find out what's happening in Woodburywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The idea came from city staff, Stephens said, who saw how it works in other cities and brought the initiative to Woodbury. City officials will soon contact area youth groups to drum up interest.

Being part of the commission would also give teenagers valuable experience, as Parks and Rec touches on several fields, such as city planning, forestry, parks and urban development, Stephens said.

The city plans to hold its annual interviews for city boards and commissions in November. Wednesday's council approval increases the number of members on the Parks and Recreation Commission from seven to nine.

For more information on applying for a position, visit the city’s website.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here