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Incoming high school senior proposes Newcastle youth voice committee
Summary
An incoming Liberty High School senior presented a draft plan to establish a six-member Newcastle youth voice committee to bring student perspectives into city decision-making; commissioners took the proposal under advisement.
On June 11, 2025, Asana Sikka, an incoming senior at Liberty High School, urged the Newcastle Community Activities Commission to support a new Newcastle youth voice committee that would give high-school students a regular role in local decision-making.
Sikka told commissioners she drafted a timeline, application and role description and distributed the materials at the meeting. "The only thing I could find for Newcastle was the NYCE, a program that no longer exists," she said, and proposed a six-student group — two sophomores, two juniors and two seniors — that would meet regularly and attend general council meetings.
The proposal would begin by interviewing incoming sophomores, juniors and seniors and later shift to selection by written application at the end of freshman year. Sikka described the grouproles as organizing community events ("aiming for at least 3 a year"), gathering insight from different community groups and serving as a point of contact for the city when decisions affect schools.
Commissioners did not vote on the proposal; Chair Nathan Sticks said they would "take your consideration under advisement." Staff and commissioners asked Sikka to provide contact information at the close of the meeting so staff could follow up.
The proposal referenced local models such as the Issaquah Youth Advisory Board and the Renton Youth Council and noted Sikka's experience with the Issaquah Schools Foundation as a student trustee. No funding source, formal charter, or timeline for council review was specified in the public comment.
Commissioners and staff may consider the materials Sikka provided as they determine whether to advance a formal proposal to the City Council or city staff for review.
