The Overland Park Teen Council is a program that allows high school students to get an inside look at local government.
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.
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:
Meetings are typically in the late afternoon, evening, or on weekends.
To participate, students must attend an Overland Park high school, and be able to attend all Teen Council activities.
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:
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.
While the ongoing public health situation has cast some uncertainty on the 2020-2021 school year, the City sees value in continuing Teen Council as an opportunity for students to continue to engage with their community as an extracurricular activity. Teen Council will continue.
It is our expectation that many meetings will be held virtually. When we are able to meet in-person in a safe and distanced fashion, we will do so.
Applications for the 2020-2021 Teen Council program are closed. Please check back in the summer for 2021 for information about next year’s program.
Monthly during the school year
Meg Ralph
913-895-6160
meg.ralph@opkansas.org