Maui County Youth Council to transmit 2022 final Youth Legislative Package

Resolutions adopted by a majority vote of the Maui County Youth Council of 2022 at its final meeting held earlier this month, will be compiled into the “Youth Legislative Package of 2022.” This will be transmitted via county communication to the Maui County Council at its Dec. 16 meeting.

The Maui County Youth Council is a pilot project proposed by Councilmember Kelly Takaya King and established by the Maui County Council via Resolution 21-199 to explore youth engagement in county government.

“It was my hope the youth council would provide an avenue for young people to express their stance on issues facing the next generation of our community,” said King in a news release. “I am inspired to see these high school students accept this opportunity to engage with their communities and learn about the local government process.”

King said the body of high school students met with councilmembers and community leaders to learn about county government and local issues over the past few months. On Dec. 5, the nine youth councilmembers introduced resolutions they drafted during the previous year.

“The youth council has come up with wide-ranging and insightful resolutions representing their policy concerns,” said King.

“This project was intended to give young people a voice on issues that impact their community,” said Axel Beers, senior executive assistant for Councilmember King and former social studies teacher who served as their advisor. “It explores any interest among our next generation in learning about county issues, taking a leadership role, and making recommendations to our county leaders.”

“Through working with the youth council and reviewing their draft resolutions, I believe there is a strong interest among youth to contribute ideas for bettering our community,” Beers said.

The youth council includes Chair Therese Nicholle Ignacio, Vice-Chair India Buchanan, and Officer Pro Tempore Natalie Petty, who were nominated and elected by the youth councilmembers, and Dylan Arisumi, Raje Bluml, Dylan Bowen, Grace Crowe, Anna Galbreath, and Jacob Janikowski.

“Civic engagement and education are important for a robust government, and by supporting this initiative, we can help to ensure that Maui County is representing and serving its next generation,” said King.