Teen Council

The Overland Park Teen Council is a program that allows high school students to get an inside look at local government.

Students will be selected from both public and private high schools in Overland Park.

Over the course of the school year, students will learn about different city departments, attend committee meetings, participate in and lead service projects, and form relationships with their elected leaders.

In doing so, students will become more knowledgeable about local government and gain invaluable leadership skills.

Activities

Teen Council members meet one or two times a month, as the schedule varies year-to-year. Each year, students meet for the following activities:

• Public Safety learning session
• Parks and Recreation learning session
• Public Works learning session
• Planning and Development services learning session
• Municipal Court learning session
• Small group meetings and dinner with council members
• Council meeting and council committee meetings
• Service projects

Meetings are typically in the late afternoon, evening, or on weekends.

Eligibility

To participate, students must:

• Be an Overland Park resident.
• Be a high school student.
• Be able to attend all Teen Council activities.

Leadership Positions

Teens who have completed at least one year of the Teen Council program are eligible to apply for youth liaison positions on one of three City committees:

• Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee;
• Environmental Advisory Committee;
• Legacy of Greenery Committee.

Youth liaisons are encouraged to provide input on all topics related to the council or committee they serve, but are not voting members.

Teens who have completed at least one year of the Teen Council are also eligible to serve as the Teen Council president.

Applications

Applications for the 2019-2020 Teen Council program are now closed. Please check back during the summer of 2020 for the 2020-2021 program application.