Youth council elects Lexi Skorzak chair and Emma Brown vice chair

Lexi Skorzak was elected chair of the Cape Coral Youth Council during the group’s May 9 regular meeting at Cape Coral City Council Chambers. The council also elected Emma Brown as vice chair.

The election came after nominations and one-minute statements from both chair candidates and three nominees for vice chair. Claire Johnson, a rising senior at Oasis High School, and Skorzak each spoke briefly about their leadership experience before members cast votes by show of hands. Johnson said she had served as project manager for a book drive for Golisano Children’s Hospital and asked members to “please consider me and vote for me for chair.” Skorzak said she wanted “to create a welcoming and encouraging environment” and described extensive prior involvement with youth council events.

The chair vote was tallied by administrative staff: Skorzak received nine votes and Johnson seven. After the tally was read, Member Isabella Paraganda moved to appoint Skorzak, with a second from Grace Riley; the motion passed without further roll-call votes.

For vice chair, three members spoke: Emma Brown, Ali Bice and Megan Jacques. Brown told the council her experience with the nonprofit Family Initiative and work recording and organizing data would help her in the vice chair role, saying she would “ensure our council runs with high proficiency and our discussions are recorded in an orderly fashion.” Members cast ballots by name; the tally reported by staff was nine votes for Brown, three for Bice and four for Jacques. Member Eva Halsey moved to appoint Brown and Member Emily Salazar seconded; the motion passed.

The newly elected chair, Lexi Skorzak, took the gavel and presided for the remainder of the meeting.

Votes at a glance: Chair (Skorzak over Johnson) — Skorzak 9, Johnson 7; Vice chair (Brown) — Brown 9, Bice 3, Jacques 4.