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Parkland youth highlight mental health, vaping and e-vehicle safety in survey presented to commission
Summary
Parkland Youth Ambassadors told the City Commission that students ranked mental health, drug use (notably vaping), and bullying as their top concerns and called for more counselors, consistent mental-health education and action on e-vehicle safety.
Parkland youth told the City of Parkland Commission on Thursday that mental health, drug use and bullying top their list of concerns — and they want tangible local action, not just awareness campaigns. The panel of high-school students, presented by Jackie Weymayer, senior director of strategy and intergovernmental affairs, reported results from a student survey conducted by the Parkland Youth Ambassador program.
"Mental health was the most frequently cited issue," said a youth ambassador, noting 88 percent of respondents listed it among their top three concerns. The students said drug use — particularly vaping — followed at 80 percent, and bullying and cyberbullying at 52 percent. The presentation also found 40 percent of respondents identified e-bikes and scooters as a safety concern.
The ambassadors said the survey used free-response questions rather than prepopulated choices, strengthening the case that these issues reflected respondents’ true priorities. They gave specific recommendations: increase in-school mental-health resources and counselors, expand low-barrier access to therapy and stress-management programs, train educators to identify and respond to signs of distress, and pursue partnerships for mobile clinics and spay/neuter outreach where relevant. On transportation safety, the students urged clearer regulations, enforcement and education around e-vehicles to prevent injuries.
Commissioners praised the students’ work and asked about methodology and next steps. Commissioner Jordan Israel noted that free-response answers indicate an authentic signal of concern and suggested education campaigns and partnership with school officials and Broward County agencies. Vice Mayor Simeon Breyer and others suggested aligning city resources — including nonprofits such as Eagles Haven — with school programs and using city events like the farmers market to raise awareness. Weymayer and the students said they will share their raw data and be available for follow-up.
The presentation was received with praise from the dais; Mayor Rich Walker thanked the students for the substantive report and encouraged continued dialogue between the youth ambassadors, city staff and school partners. The Commission took no formal votes on policy changes during the meeting but discussed potential administrative and community partnerships to respond to the priorities the students identified.
