Guest Commentary | The leaders of tomorrow need opportunities today
Being young means being told, “You are the future,” way more times than you can count.
However, we don’t simply wake up one day as prepared leaders. So, how do we get to the point where we can be confident, prepared and knowledgeable leaders? It doesn’t happen suddenly. It happens when we’re given a seat at the table, entrusted with responsibilities and exposed to perspectives outside our own. If we are expected to be the leaders of tomorrow, we need these opportunities today to experience, learn and discover our capabilities.
One opportunity for me is the Cape Coral Youth Council. The council is made up of 17 high school students from Cape Coral who attend schools throughout Cape Coral and parts of Lee County. Our main purpose is to propose ideas and implement activities to enrich Cape Coral’s youth.
During my time on the youth council, we have created and participated in numerous projects for our community. Whether it is planning career fairs, advocating for mental health throughout schools, or fundraising for breast cancer patients, we are devoted to supporting and connecting with our community.
This past March, we had the privilege of attending the National League of Cities conference in Washington, D.C. Going to D.C. broadened our knowledge of national government beyond what we had learned from local government, allowing us to see how local and national governments connect. Through panels by government officials, group workshops and connections with other youth councils, the NLC conference helped us learn valuable lessons that went beyond the conference room. We heard different approaches to community challenges and saw what youth councils across the nation are doing to create change in their local communities, helping us develop ideas to implement in our city.
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If You Go:
What: Cape Coral Youth Meet & Greet
When: From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m Thursday, Sept.. 24
Where: Nice Guys Pizza, 1404 Cape Coral Parkway E..
Purpose: To learn more about the youth council and donate to next year’s National League of Cities Youth Conference in Washington, D.C.
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We are planning to go back next year with new members of our youth council so they can experience the opportunity of learning and engaging with other youth. As a kickoff to next March, we would like to invite you to join us at our Youth Council Meet & Greet at Nice Guys Pizza on Sept. 24 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Enjoy pizza, hear from Youth Council members, share your own ideas with us, and learn more about the work we hope to continue throughout Cape Coral. More than anything, this is a chance for us to meet, collaborate, and build connections with the community we are proud to represent.
You can contribute to our fundraising efforts for next year’s trip at this event and through our GoFundMe. Any way you can assist us, whether by donating or simply sharing our mission, will bring us closer to going to Washington, D.C. Your investment in us is truly an investment in the future.
The youth council members who board that plane are not the same members who return. What we gain from the NLC conference doesn’t stay in Washington, D.C. — it comes home with us. What we learn and experience through these amazing opportunities helps us grow more knowledgeable, inspired and prepared to turn ideas into action, support our community and make a change not just now and locally, but wherever our next endeavors take us.
We hope you will consider helping us bring this opportunity back around by supporting our fundraising efforts.
Kamila Vargas is a member of the Cape Coral Youth Council.