Mayor's Youth Council

Purpose

Started in 2021 by Mayor Paul Tenhaken, the purpose of the Mayor's Youth Council is to provide youth an opportunity to share input on community issues, learn about City government, and impact the community through group volunteer efforts. Meetings are held monthly during the school year, in addition to possible other activities and events. For public and private schools, students may be asked to have parents sign a release form to be dismissed during school for these meetings.

 

2025-26 Mayor's Youth Council

The following students were selected to serve on the council for the 2024-2025 school year:

Sahilu Assefa, Jefferson High School; Eva Adams, Naomi Jespersen, Tammy Tran, and Amare Williams, Lincoln High School; Grant Roth, O’Gorman High School; Neliea Daws and Siya Patel, Roosevelt High School; Grace Henkel, Benjamin Johnson, and Abigail Ondricek, Sioux Falls Christian; and Owen Reed, Washington High School.  

Planning Team

The Mayor’s Youth Council is led by a core planning team of City team members: Ashley Bohlen, Mayor's Executive Assistant; Chad Quissell, Talent Acquisition Coordinator with Human Resources; Lucy Steiger, teen programming librarian at Siouxland Libraries; Sgt. Michelle Hockett, school resource officer with Sioux Falls Police, and Vanessa Gomez, Mayor’s Chief of Staff. 

For more information, contact the Mayor’s Youth Council at mayorsyouthcouncil@siouxfalls.gov.