A program of the City of Oklahoma City
Youth Council of Oklahoma City
Focus: Participants will represent the City Council of OKC in their schools and communities. Youth Councilors work directly with their City Council representatives to learn about public service, explore city services and attractions in each ward, upcoming OKC projects and how city officials work with citizens to make OKC the incredible city it is today.
Eligibility:
• high school juniors and seniors
• GPA of 3.0+ [on a 4.0 scale]
• MUST live in OKC city limits
Spots: 18 (2 per city ward and 2 at-large)
Time Commitment:
• Outside classwork required (ex: monthly reporting)
• Appointment by City Council [mid Aug]
• Opening Retreat - mandatory 2-day [late Aug, Fri-Sat]
• Seven (7) monthly sessions [Sept - Apr]
• YLX Conclave [early Dec]
• YLX Graduation [early May]
Location: each session will be held at City Hall, with transportation to city facilities by city vans.
Skills attained:
• self-awareness
• city infrastructure & operations
• public speaking
• teamwork
• accountability
• public safety and health
• economic development and impact
• external vs internal communication
• communication styles
• … and more!
What is Youth Council of Oklahoma City?
In this program of the City Council of Oklahoma City managed by Youth Leadership Exchange, we invite 18 Oklahoma City high school juniors & seniors to be part of the Youth Council of Oklahoma City. Two students from each of the city's eight wards and two at-large representatives working with the mayor spend their year learning about every aspect of our city. They are asked to be liaisons for the city, their peers, and their wards. They are also expected to be fact-finders, determining where the youth of Oklahoma City stand on issues addressed by the city council.
When are the Youth Council of Oklahoma City meetings?
The one-day class sessions are September through June, generally on the first Wednesday of the month. The Opening Retreat will be held in August, and the Closing Celebration will be in early June. Regular class day sessions usually run from 8:00a to 4:00p.
What are the goals of the program?
We have three: education, communication, and participation.
Education: A large part of the Youth Council experience will be through our class sessions. These are designed to be as experiential as possible. That means class members will learn by doing: You will go places, see things, role-play, discuss, create models, and participate in activities designed to teach you as much as we can about Oklahoma City and its government.
You will hear from many city and community leaders. We cannot tell you exactly what they will say. These leaders are asked to treat you just as they do adult groups. They are often very forthright, sometimes controversial, always entertaining. We will ensure that you have plenty of time in the day to discuss what you have seen and heard among yourselves and with program planners. You won’t agree with everything you hear, and neither will we. That’s part of the learning – to hear from many voices and make up your own mind. On the flip side, you will be heard by people who haven’t heard from you before, and they will learn as well.
One thing we can guarantee is that you will learn more about the City of Oklahoma City than you could imagine. You will learn about the operations, the infrastructure, and the people who make our city run. Perhaps, at the end of the day, you just might learn something about yourself.
Communication: You will be asked to become a conduit of information between the City of Oklahoma City and the youth of Oklahoma City. You will be asked for input. You will be asked to speak on behalf of the youth of Oklahoma City to city officials. You might be asked to present city programs to youth groups. What we try to foster is better communications within Oklahoma City.
Participation: Toward the beginning of each meeting, we will go to the “horseshoe”, the large, elevated desk in council chambers at City Hall. This part of the meeting will be recorded and replayed on Channel 20 during the month until the next meeting and on the city council YouTube channel. For our time on the “horseshoe” you will prepare and give a report on the news of your ward. Additionally, each pair of you will be assigned an Oklahoma City board or commission to report on monthly. The list of contacts who will help you is in your notebook. With both these reports, it is IMPERATIVE that you PLAN AHEAD. Waiting until the night before our meeting won’t make you any friends, and probably won’t yield the information you need. You may also be asked to attend neighborhood association meetings and other meetings throughout the year. It will not be unusual for you to be asked to represent your council member at meetings and be asked to report back to them. Basically, you will be asked to become part of the Oklahoma City government.
What happens during a class day?
As with other YLX programs, we use hands-on experience as much as possible to teach. Each class day focuses on a different ward, with the two youth councilors from that ward acting as hosts. A student-written introduction to the ward is used as a springboard to broader discussion of various city issues -- public safety, economic development, or historic preservation, and more. Our Opening Retreat is organized to develop a high comfort level among class members, and our closing celebration is planned to applaud the youth council's accomplishments for the year. In addition to class days, council members make public appearances with their elected counterpart at neighborhood meetings, council meetings, banquets, and as guests on the city's cable television channel.
What are the benefits to class members?
All the YLX classes are selected with an eye toward gender balance, racial, and cultural diversity. We strive to make the composition of the youth council mirror the official City Council, and Oklahoma City. Students are selected on the basis of the ward where they live, so exposure to others from every different part of the city is a major benefit of YLX and allows for a range of networking opportunities not often available to high school students. The real-world civics lessons offered through our class days is invaluable to a young person considering a life of public service. And, too, class members see firsthand a variety of careers available to them, with an emphasis on those available in and with Oklahoma City.
Who is eligible to apply?
High school students who will be juniors and seniors in the fall or the home-schooled equivalent are eligible. They must live in an Oklahoma City ward and must have a cumulative grade point of 3.0 or above, figured on a 4.0 scale. Students from both public and private high schools are eligible, provided they live in a ward of Oklahoma City.
Who operates this program?
Leadership Oklahoma City/Youth Leadership Exchange co-sponsors this program with the City of Oklahoma City. Adult volunteers -- including city personnel, educators, physicians, attorneys, law enforcement professionals, journalists, and non-profit executives -- plan and implement the program. If asked, volunteers will provide Youth Council members with rides to and from class, so lack of transportation will not be a barrier to participation.
How much does the class cost?
The Youth Council is completely funded by the City of Oklahoma City. Just as with the other YLX programs, neither class members nor their parents pay tuition or any other cost.
How do I apply?
Applications go live in mid-January and are available online at www.lokc.org/ylx and www.okc.gov. The completed application includes a permission form from the school administrator and a letter of recommendation from an adult who knows the student well. Each completed application is read and scored, and from this pool finalists from each ward are chosen to be interviewed. From this group 18 youth city council members are chosen. Those chosen must attend the Opening Retreat, and no more than two absences are allowed. If this could pose a problem, you shouldn't apply. Junior applicants who are not chosen are urged to reapply.
Questions:
If you have any questions, please reach out to the Youth Leadership Exchange Program Director at ylx@lokc.org or 405.463.3340.
Youth Council Class Dates 2023-24
August 14 – 6:00p
Orientation
August 15 – 8:00a
Appointments
August 25/26 -
Opening Retreat
September 6
October 4
November 1
December 6
January 10
February 7
March 6
April 3
April 24
May TBD
Closing Program