KANNAPOLIS — The Kannapolis Youth Council has been awarded a state charter from the N.C. Department of Administration and is now one of 24 chartered youth councils in North Carolina. The Kannapolis Youth Council was established by the Kannapolis City Council in 2020 and members were appointed in 2021.

 

To achieve state certification, the youth council completed a number of civic and social projects in 2021, including holding monthly meetings, participating in the Veterans Food Drive, conducting bloodmobiles, purchasing Christmas gifts for other youth in need and working city events such as the Tree Lighting Ceremony. The group also learned about local government and City of Kannapolis Departments such as administration, fire, police and public works.

 

As a state-charted youth council, the group will now be able to participate in state youth government learning experiences throughout the school year.

 

The City Council’s goal for the youth council is to create opportunities for students to become engaged in leadership development, provide avenues for high school students to volunteer, develop leadership skills, develop high standards for behavior, to refine communication abilities, practice teamwork and to have a line of communication to the adult leadership in the decision-making process of the City. The formation of the Youth Council was the result of conversations between council members and area high school students.

 

The youth council is composed of high school students who reside in Kannapolis and they represent the geographic and educational diversity of the City with participants from the two public high schools located in the City, students living in the City but attending other public high schools, home school students, charter schools and private high schools.

 

Brock Morgan, an A.L. Brown student, and Allison Gordon, a Northwest Cabarrus High School student, served as co-chairs of the group. Other inaugural members are:

Ally Zendejas, Amber Barnes, Ashley Burris, Carly Stegall, Caroline Barlow, Celeste Martinez, Courtney Graham, Destiny Davis, Gabe Perry, Joseph Levy, Kevin Lo, Lillian Watkins, Lissette Gutierrez Cruz, Marin Powell, Nevaeh Williams, Niya Kerr, Samantha Holman, Shriya Agarwal, Trent Thompson and Yesenia Hubbard.