By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
Members of the new Mayor’s Youth Council at Bellmont High School have been announced.
This becomes the second council, an idea conceived and brought to fruition by Decatur Mayor Dan Rickord (back row, far right in photo).
The first council was formed last year with 12 members, but the new group has 21 students.
Community Coordinator Jamie Gephart, who works closely with the council, said many more students applied this time so it was decided to go with the larger number. “I look for our numbers to change each year, completely dependent on what we learn the year before and how many students apply,” Gephart said.
Council members meet once a month at Bellmont and sub-committees will meet outside of that time to work on projects. Gephart (standing at left in photo) said the number of meetings will depend on the project that a committee is working on.
The students are required to attend two city council meetings plus one meeting of the Adams County Economic Development Board, or one meeting of the city-county parks and recreation department.
They then report back to the group at a monthly meeting, explaining what they learned and having a discussion, according to Gephart.
A room at City Hall is being readied for the council. The students will use it for meetings, holding discussions and just getting together.
“We are so excited about the impact this group will make this year and in years to come,” Gephart said. “We received generous donations from Mark and Connie Bulmahn and in honor of Al Fleming. We wish to thank these donors and to everyone who has helped us grow in one year.”
The new group is comprised of six freshmen, eight sophomores, two juniors and five seniors, as follows:
Freshmen: Mariafernanda Ramirez, Kinleigh Coffee, Ben Mills, Jayleena Hill, Judson Krull, Olivia Bessesen.
Sophomores: Oliver Goble, Payton Miller, Everett Colclasure, Lilly Alberding, Carissa Mickley, Lillian Garner, Brianna Converset, and Mason Mankey.
Juniors: Emma Key and Mason Martinez.
Seniors: Aiden Faurote, Brooke Sutter, Vanessa Hebble, Andrea Curtis and Victoria Hamrick.
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