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TAXING THOSE BRAINS: The pain of finals week is evident as students study, study, study. Click Arts & Life for more photos. / Photo by Jared Ocana
Today's word on
journalism

Thursday, May 5, 2005

From the Keep-Your-Eye-on-the-Ball Department:

"In a year when war in Iraq, the threat of terrorism and looming problems with the federal budget and the nation's health care system cry out for serious debate, the news organizations on which people should be able to depend have been diverted into chasing sham events."

--David S. Broder, columnist, 2004

 

Arts & Life : : Features

Millville's youth council provides community service while learning how government works

By Joseph Sheppard

April 19, 2005 | MILLVILLE -- Twice a month, 15 to 20 youth from Millville meet together as the Youth Council to organize service activities and community celebrations. They are all volunteers and among the council members they have elected a mayor, recorder and other city offices.

Millville City Councilman David Hair said of them, "I think we've got the best council we've ever had."

Youth Council Mayor Casey Hart is a senior at Mountain Crest High School and has been working on the council now for three years. Hart said the most recent project for the council was the Easter egg hunt the council put on at the city park.

The council stuffed the eggs, organized the activity and cleaned up afterwards, Council Recorder Samantha Kirby said. She is a junior at Mountain Crest and is serving her third year as recorder. The activity was a success and 150-200 people showed up for it, Hart said.

In putting on acitivies the council members learn how to take charge and work as a team. Hart said his favorite experience with the Youth Council was a luau that the council put on last summer. He said the council brought in a Polynesian group to teach the hula and put on a meal for the community.

"It was a lot of work to get the food ready and everything else done, but it was worth it," Hart said.

Millville City Councilman Brian Jensen oversees the youth council and said it is a great way to encourage the youth to be involved in citizenship.

Kirby said she has learned a lot about city governments from her experience on the youth council.

"You need to know who you're electing and that they can carry their load," Kirby said.

The council recently attended the three-day Youth Council Leadership Institute at Utah State University. The conference was held from March 17-19 and youth councils throughout Utah attended to hear inspirational speakers and receive leadership training.

Hart said that more than anything he left the conference wanting to do more service as a council. He said they could involve service in more of their activities.

"As long as everyone is together we can always do some service or make some contributions," Hart said.

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