Council committee advances two high school students to Youth Commission

A three-member City Council appointments panel interviewed two high school applicants and agreed to advance both to the Youth Commission for the next step in the appointment process.

The panel interviewed Ashley Ramirez, a student at Reading High School, who described wanting "to be a voice to the committee, like, for the youth" and to help organize mentoring and resources for students. Ramirez told councilors she attends extracurricular activities but said they are "pretty flexible" and that she would make time to attend commission meetings.

The panel also interviewed Ari Ellis, who said the commission should give young people a platform to be heard and help leaders make change for future generations. Ellis said pressure at school contributes to burnout and anxiety and suggested the commission could organize regular, motivating events so young people feel "seen and heard." Ellis told the panel she has a flexible schedule and expects to attend regularly.

Nut graf: The panel focused its questioning on applicants' understanding of the commission's role, their reasons for applying and their ability to attend meetings. Both students cited outreach channels that led them to apply — Ramirez learned about the commission at a course selection night and Ellis through a club advisor and a mayoral summer program speaker — and both emphasized mentoring, youth voice and school-related mental-health concerns as priorities.

In discussion after the interviews, panel members emphasized past difficulties retaining youth appointees who later stop attending and said attendance commitment matters when selecting members. One councilor recalled a plan to monitor new members for a probationary period (three to six months) and suggested incentive ideas, such as attendance punch cards, to encourage sustained participation. Panel members also reviewed the commission's membership rules during the meeting, noting recent adjustments to starting and maximum ages and that the commission's quorum is five members as set in the ordinance.

The panel voted to advance both Ramirez and Ellis; a staff member (Shelley) said she would follow up with applicants about next steps and that, if moved forward, the appointments would appear on the City Council agenda the following Monday and applicants would not be required to appear in person.

The panel also discussed recruitment channels to fill remaining vacancies on the Youth Commission, noting that applicants have come through different outreach points — school events, club advisors and mayoral youth programs — and that the body will continue outreach to increase membership and maintain quorum.

Ending: Shelley, the staff member overseeing appointments, said she would notify applicants about the committee’s decision and follow up with administrative steps to place the candidates on the council agenda.