Engaging youth in County government

Many St. Louis County departments used their time to help educate area students on various functions of government and how it affects them. Here are some examples of employees engaging young people in our community:

Human Services successfully facilitated the Outstanding Student Leaders Conference , for the first time since the pandemic. This program recognizes over 43 Outstanding Student Leaders from various St. Louis County High

Schools. They spent the day of the conference doing team and community building exercises at Washington University in St. Louis and then were recognized in a ceremony in the Council chambers.

In October, the Planning Department spoke to students at Hancock Place High School and at Notre Dame High School in the Lemay area. The Department prepared a program aimed at encouraging students to pay active attention to the neighborhoods in which they live and go to school. The session kicked off with an overview of planning and the built environment, and then students worked in groups to fill in land uses on a map of Lemay. The students worked together to locate their school, their homes, and other land uses such as stores, churches, and parks. Planning staff then presented on the role of the Planning Department within County government, the Lemay Comprehensive Plan, and walked through a zoning petition to give the students an idea of how planning impacts their community. The students had many questions about development in Lemay, specifically regarding road improvements and the reutilization of vacant property. Overall, the Department found these sessions were successful and hope to present at more schools next October.

The Department of Public Health facilitated the annual Healthy Living Calendar competition which engages local K-12 students to creatively express via drawings focused on “healthy living.”

Artwork from 13 students were chosen for the calendar after DPH staff voted on the submissions. The winners include students from the following St. Louis County schools:

• Kellison Elementary

• Carman Trails Elementary

• Marquette High School

• Nipher Middle School

• All Saints Academy - St. Ferdinand

• Meramec Elementary

• Bayless High School

• Our Lady of Lourdes

• Holy Cross Academy

In October, County Executive Sam Page invited members of the Youth Advisory Council to meet with him to talk about important issues facing young people in our community. Many attendees expressed concerns with substance use, mental health, and climate change.