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Albany Civic Leadership Academy participants present youth-engagement roadmap to council
Summary
Young participants in Albany’s first Civic Leadership Academy told the City Council on Nov. 19 that youth need to be "seen, heard and valued," and offered practical steps — from school partnerships to youth advisory councils and digital engagement — for increasing civic participation among people ages 15–24.
Katrina Przlak and a classmate from Albany’s Civic Leadership Academy presented a nine‑week student research project to the City Council on Nov. 19, urging the city to expand programs that give young people meaningful roles in government.
The students said youth engagement should center on three principles — being seen, being heard and being valued — and argued the city should pursue proactive outreach, better advertising for existing paid roles (such as parks and recreation positions), and partnerships with schools to create shadowing, internships and meeting‑attendance supports. "Youth are the future," Katrina said, "and we've got some pretty good ideas that could really change the future of Albany for the better." (Katrina Przlak, Civic Leadership Academy participant.)
The presenters cited local interviews and a decline in Albany’s 18–24 population since 2018 as reasons to act. They recommended a mix of in‑person and digital participation options to address barriers such as transportation and scheduling, and suggested connecting with community groups (for example, Jackson Street) that already serve marginalized youth.
City staff told council they will develop guiding principles and an implementation plan based on the academy’s recommendations and return to council with a timeline and practical next steps. Staff and council members praised the students’ work and posed a few clarifying questions before the meeting shifted to other agenda items.
Council members and staff said they expect staff to follow up; the presenters asked the council to consider designating a representative or staff contact to continue conversation with partner organizations and schools. The council paused for a short graduation and photo with the participants at the end of the presentation.
