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Council approves youth‑engagement plan to boost teen input on parks and recreation
Summary
City Council approved a resolution asking the Office of Youth Engagement and Parks and Recreation to coordinate so youth voices are integrated into parks planning after presentations by Palumbo High School students and other youth advocates.
Philadelphia City Council adopted Resolution 250,578 asking the Office of Youth Engagement to expand its collaboration with the Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation to strengthen youth leadership and civic participation.
The measure was placed on the consent agenda and approved by voice vote. Students from the Academy at Palumbo and the Academy at Colombo testified at the meeting, describing research and proposals to make parks and recreation centers cleaner, safer and more welcoming to teenagers.
Aster Chow, a junior at Palumbo, told council members she supports the resolution and urged additional steps: “I rise in support of resolution 250,578 on youth engagement, but there’s so much more to be done.” Frank Molina and classmates described concrete proposals — from skill‑building and gardening programs to youth‑driven social media outreach — that they said would increase teen usage and stewardship of public spaces.
Charlie McGeehan, a civics teacher at the Academy at Colombo, thanked council members who had engaged his classes and said the students had developed proposals to increase teen voice in parks planning. Council member Anthony Phillips had invited the Palumbo students to present their ideas and later sponsored the privilege to recognize childcare workers; Phillips and other council members praised the students’ participation.
On the floor, the item was not debated; the council included the youth collaboration resolution on the consent agenda, and it was adopted with the other consent items.
Council staff will coordinate implementation with the Office of Youth Engagement and Parks & Recreation to set timelines for youth councils, outreach and pilot programs in selected parks.
