Mayor’s Youth Council 2022-2023
Mayor Rosalynn Bliss introduced the 2022-23 Mayor’s Youth Council (MYC) to the City Commission and community during a recent Commission meeting. MYC gives high schoolers a voice in local government. Members have direct access to the Mayor and City Commissioners by meeting monthly to discuss city policies and procedures and issues that are important to teens. MYC members also participate in community service projects and facilitate the annual youth forum KidSpeak®.
This year’s MYC includes 9th through 12th graders who live in the city’s three wards. They are:
Executive Board
Jaylynne Calderon, MYC President, 12th Grade, Grand Rapids University Prep. Academy, 2nd Ward
Merinaz Dadgar, MYC Vice President, 9th Grade, Grand Rapids Union, 3rd Ward
Terrence Coke, Secretary, 12th Grade, Innovation Central, 2nd Ward
Sophia Ferenczi, KidSpeak 2023 Chair, 11th Grade, Grand Rapids Public Museum, 1st Ward
Members
Tanmayi Daksgnamoorthy, 9th Grade, City High/Middle, 3rd Ward
Terrell Daniels, 11th Grade, Grand Rapids Union, 3rd Ward
Claudia Duimstra, 11th Grade, City High/Middle, 1st Ward
Lucy Gilbert-Nidefski, 9th Grade, W. Michigan Academy of Environmental Science, 1st Ward
Collin Helak, 12th Grade, Grand Rapids Public Museum, 1st Ward
Miguel Hernandez-Ramirez, 12th Grade, City High/Middle, 1st Ward
Aaron Howard, 10 Grade, Southwest Middle/High Academia Billingue, 3rd Ward
Akeelah Howard, 9th Grade, City High/Middle, 1st Ward
Zion Jackson, 9th Grade, Grand Rapids Union, 1st Ward
DiAndrea Jones, 9th Grade, Grand River Prepatory, 3rd Ward
Jana Kalumbula, 9th Grade, City High/Middle, 2nd Ward
Gwen Kirkbride, 9th Grade, City High/Middle, 1st Ward
Eden Kruis, 9th Grade, City High/Middle, 2nd Ward
Steven Nkurunziza, 11th Grade, Grand Rapids Union, 1st Ward
Maleah Oates, 9th Grade, Grand Rapids Montessori, 2nd Ward
Nkechinyere Okwuwasi, 9th Grade, City High/Middle, 3rd Ward
Samuel Ostrow, 10 Grade, City High/Middle, 2nd Ward
Sebastian Puente, 11th Grade, Innovation Central, 1st Ward
Lena Reeves, 11th Grade, City High/Middle, 2nd Ward
Ivan Schury, 11th Grade, Grand Rapids Public Museum, 3rd Ward
Malaya Thompson, 12th Grade, CA Frost, 3rd Ward
Sofie Vaandrager, 11th Grade, City High/Middle, 3rd Ward
Josiah Willink, 11th Grade, City High/Middle, 3rd Ward
Julian Wilson, 10 Grade, City High/Middle, 3rd Ward
Zoey Winship, 9th Grade, Grand Rapids Public Museum, 3rd Ward