It is critically important that the youths of this community play a role in helping move it forward, Greater Topeka Partnership president and CEO Matt Pivarnik told Shawnee County commissioners Thursday.
He told Commissioners Kevin Cook, Shelly Buhler and Bob Archer he consequently felt excited to encourage them to express support for the Greater Topeka Youth Partnership Commission, a new organization consisting of youths and their adult supporters.
The youth commission will give young leaders a platform for “telling the adults what they want their community to be going forward,” Pivarnik said.
Commissioners subsequently voted 3-0 to express support for the youth partnership’s efforts “to provide avenues for youth to express opinions, involve youth in planning and decision-making, prepare youth to be good citizens, build skills, experience and confidence, provide opportunities to make a difference and to build an overall better community.”
The Greater Topeka Partnership will be the youth commission’s “organizational home,” but it will belong to the entire Topeka and Shawnee County community, Pivarnik said.
(Read more: Political – The Topeka Capital-Journal)