County council honors youth civic-engagement winners, highlights youth role in research and violence-prevention work

Allegheny County Council on June 9 presented proclamations honoring two student runners-up in the inaugural Allegheny County Civic Engagement Competition sponsored by Council Member Alex Rose.

Council Member Rose read a proclamation recognizing Anya, a South Fryet High School sophomore, for organizing a student-led mock election in 2024 that achieved a reported turnout of 73 percent (838 of 1,145 eligible students). Anya told the council she was "so honored" and expressed gratitude for the recognition and for opportunities to engage her peers in civic participation.

The council also presented a proclamation to Zeod, a 17-year-old junior at North Allegheny Senior High School and a resident of Franklin Park, for community-based violence research and service on the RECcast (Resiliency in Communities After Stress and Trauma) study steering committee at the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work. In remarks, Zeod described RECcast as a federally funded initiative focused on reducing community violence through trauma-informed, community-driven approaches and called youth participation "civic engagement at one of its absolute purest forms." He thanked researchers and community mentors and noted RECcast's training and outreach initiatives.

Council entered both proclamations into the record; the meeting included applause and short remarks by both students. The proclamations emphasize the county's stated interest in elevating youth participation in civic life and in supporting research-anchored community violence prevention efforts.