Mayor’s Youth Council 2023-2024
Mayor Rosalynn Bliss introduced the 2023-24 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
Ivan Schury, MYC President, 12th Grade, Grand Rapids Public Museum, 3rd Ward
Lena Reeves, MYC Vice President, 12th Grade, City High/Middle, 2nd Ward
Angela Perez, Secretary, 12th Grade, Grand Rapids Union, 2nd Ward
Julian Wilson, KidSpeak 2024 Chair, 11th Grade, City High/Middle, 3rd Ward
Member
Akeelah Howard, 10th Grade, City High/Middle, 1st Ward
Jennifer Velasquez Lopez, 12th Grade, Grand Rapids Union, 1st Ward
Nadia Hagedorn, 10th Grade, City High/Middle, 1st Ward
Neveah Xiong, 10th Grade, Grand Rapids University Preparatory, 1st Ward
Rima Patel, 11th Grade, Grand Rapids Union, 1st Ward
Sophia Ferenczi, 12th Grade, Grand Rapids Public Museum, 1st Ward
Tayden Beene, 11th Grade, City High/Middle, 1st Ward
Carlos Santos, 12th Grade, East Grand Rapids, 2nd Ward
Cashis Bobo, 11th Grade, Grand Rapids Union, 2nd Ward
Eden Kruis, 10th Grade, City High/Middle, 2nd Ward
Oscar Gomez-Guitierrez, 10th Grade, City High/Middle, 2nd Ward
Tanmayi Dakshnmoorthy, 10th Grade, City High/Middle, 2nd Ward
Aarna Ambardar, 10th Grade, Catholic Central, 3rd Ward
Aaron Howard, 10th Grade, Catholic Central, 3rd Ward
Alexander Byrnes, 11th Grade, City High/Middle, 3rd Ward
Jaheim Taylor-Dickerson, 11th Grade, Link Learning Center, 3rd Ward
Josiah Willink, 12th Grade, City High/Middle, 3rd Ward
Nkechinyere Owkwuwasi, 10th Grade, City High/Middle, 3rd Ward
Sofie Vandraager, 12th Grade, City High/Middle, 3rd Ward
Terrell Daniels, 12th Grade, Grand Rapids Union, 3rd Ward
Harini Manikandan, 9th Grade, City High/Middle, Observing Member
