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Youth Council outreach finds teens want more teen‑focused activities, jobs and stronger communication with schools and city
Summary
Students who were surveyed across Cape Coral high schools told Youth Council members they want more affordable entertainment, job opportunities, mental‑health access and safer places to gather; city staff outlined park upgrades, events and mobility plans.
The Youth Council’s School Reach Out program reported visiting all six Cape Coral high schools and collecting 47 responses from student‑government groups. Presenters said the top issues identified were a lack of entertainment and teen‑specific spaces (19–21 mentions), limited sense of community, scarce job and career opportunities for teens, mental health and drug/vaping concerns, and youth sports funding.
Students urged the city to create more spaces and events targeted to teens: improved park lighting for evening play, multi‑sport courts, teen nights (movie nights, glow parties arranged without alcohol) and inter‑school tournaments. Parks Director Joe Petrillo told the meeting the city has projects in design or under way—Festival Park sport fields, a northeast neighborhood park in design, and longer‑term work on a multi‑sport Cape Coral Sports Complex and a resiliency hub with indoor gymnasiums. Petrillo invited the Youth Council to participate in park design meetings so facilities reflect teen needs.
On vaping and nicotine addiction, Vice Chair Brown and other members recommended awareness campaigns tied to mental‑health supports and suggested enforcement cooperation with local retailers. Public Works and transit staff (Bill Corbett) outlined the city’s Mobility Plan, inclusion of an on‑demand transit pilot (Lee County’s ULTRA), e‑bike programs, proposed transportation hubs and ongoing sidewalk and streetlight projects targeted at school corridors to improve safe access to jobs and services.
Councilmembers encouraged the Youth Council to take on awareness projects (posting classroom QR codes and digital outreach via social platforms) and to coordinate with Parks and Special Events staff on teen‑oriented programming. City staff also suggested partnering with regional organizations that already run youth tournaments or events to host larger activities without the city shouldering all logistics.
The Youth Council and city officials agreed to explore coordinated events at Festival Park and Jaycee Park when those venues open, to pilot teen nights and sports tournaments, and to continue work on communications channels that reach students directly.
