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Students press for sister-city subcommittee; council asks staff to scope next steps
Summary
High school students and teachers described past exchange trips and asked the council to form a subcommittee to support sister-city programming. The council unanimously directed the town manager to prepare a scoping staff report on sister-city relations and possible next steps within 60 days.
Students from Jackson Hole High School and a faculty adviser told Town Council May 19 about a student ambassador exchange and asked for a council-level subcommittee to advance sister-city relationships.
Jeff Kazan, a faculty adviser, said the high school restarted an ambassador exchange in 2022 and 2023 with partner schools, including an exchange to Twasgala (Mexico), and that participating students reported stronger cross-cultural understanding and greater school involvement after the trip. Several students spoke during public comment about feeling more included and motivated after the exchange; one student said the trip gave her confidence to be more involved in school and community life.
Kazan said students hoped the council would "establish a subcommittee" to develop and sustain the sister-city program, which students view as a way to connect the town to the roots of participating students and to broaden cultural understanding.
Councilmembers responded favorably. Councilmember Speer moved and a colleague seconded a direction to the town manager to draft a brief scoping staff report on the sister-city relationship (the student presenters had mentioned a sister-school partnership with a school in Huascolo [spelled in transcript]; staff will verify exact names and relationships). The motion passed unanimously with council asking staff to return with recommended next steps and resource implications within 60 days.
Council also discussed displaying artwork or other materials from the exchange in public spaces to highlight the partnership; staff were asked to include options for public display in the scoping report.
