Mayor TenHaken Kicks Off 2025–2026 Mayor’s Youth Council
Published on September 04, 2025
Mayor Paul TenHaken has kicked off the 2025–2026 Mayor’s Youth Council, which is an opportunity for current high school juniors and seniors who live in Sioux Falls. This year’s cohort consists of 12 students.
“Each year, the Mayor’s Youth Council brings together some of the best and brightest students in our community,” said Mayor Tenhaken. “This initiative gives us an opportunity to connect with the next generation of leaders and hear their perspective on emerging issues and priorities in Sioux Falls. I look forward to a productive year ahead!”
The Mayor’s Youth Council started in the fall of 2021. Applications for the 2025–2026 cohort were accepted at the beginning of this year, with the students selected in late spring. The following students were selected to serve on the council for the 2025–2026 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.
The Mayor’s Youth Council gives the next generation an opportunity to share input on community issues, learn about City government, build relationships with their peers and City leaders, and develop leadership skills. Throughout the school year, students will attend tours of city facilities, meet with city leaders, and learn the ‘ins and outs’ of how departments work together as One Team to serve the community. The group will tour facilities like the Sioux Falls Regional Landfill, the Street Division, the newly expanded water reclamation plant, and the Public Safety Campus.
The Mayor’s Youth Council is led by a core City planning team, which includes Chad Quissell, Talent Acquisition Coordinator with Human Resources; Lucy Steiger, Teen Programming Librarian at Siouxland Libraries; Sgt. Michelle Hockett, Sioux Falls Police Department; Ashley Bohlen, Mayor’s Executive Assistant; and Vanessa Gomez, Chief of Staff to Mayor TenHaken.
