{"id":13712,"date":"2025-05-05T14:38:03","date_gmt":"2025-05-05T18:38:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/?p=13712"},"modified":"2025-05-05T15:56:26","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T19:56:26","slug":"voices-of-the-future-virginia-beach-students-serve-on-city-boards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/voices-of-the-future-virginia-beach-students-serve-on-city-boards\/","title":{"rendered":"Voices of the future: Virginia Beach students serve on city boards"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_13716\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13716\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Sadie.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13716 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Sadie.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"783\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Sadie.jpg 1000w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Sadie-300x235.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Sadie-768x601.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Sadie-400x313.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-13716\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sadie Mixer, a senior at Kellam High School in the Environmental Studies program<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Students serve on a number of city boards, providing a youthful perspective to government officials while learning how to make an impact on their community.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The first student served on the public library board in 1992, said Virginia Beach Planning Commissioner Walter Camp. In 2020, City Council started encouraging all the city\u2019s commissions and boards to have student input.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cThis created an opportunity for students to learn, as well as express their voice and govern,\u201d Camp said. \u201cNow we more than 30 such positions.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sadie Mixer, a senior at Kellam High School in the Environmental Studies program, served with students and working professionals on the Transition Area Interfacility Traffic Area Citizens Advisory Committee.<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cThrough my work on this committee, I met some incredible student leaders who all had the same passion for making our city a better place,\u201d she said.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Isabelle.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-13715 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Isabelle.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"874\" height=\"742\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Isabelle.jpg 874w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Isabelle-300x255.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Isabelle-768x652.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Isabelle-400x340.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 874px) 100vw, 874px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Tallwood High student Isabelle Chao is on the Flood Prevention Bond Referendum Oversight Board.<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I wanted to join the flood board because I really hadn\u2019t had any experience or knowledge of how city government functions on the day-to-day,\u201d she said. \u201cI really wanted to gain experience and firsthand knowledge on how an average citizen like me could have an impact on something at the citywide scale.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Aubrey.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-13714 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Aubrey.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"831\" height=\"674\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Aubrey.jpg 831w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Aubrey-300x243.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Aubrey-768x623.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Aubrey-400x324.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 831px) 100vw, 831px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Aubrey Moore is a Princess Anne High School student who serves on the Bayfront Advisory Committee. She and other students worked on the design of a \u201cLOVE\u201d sign that will be built off Shore Drive.<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It\u2019s going to reflect a lot of different aspects of our community and create one culminating piece that will a great thing for tourism, highlight local business and showcase what we love about the area.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ysabel.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-13717 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ysabel.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"918\" height=\"773\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ysabel.jpg 918w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ysabel-300x253.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ysabel-768x647.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ysabel-400x337.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 918px) 100vw, 918px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Princess Anne High student Ysabel Wells serves on the Active Transportation Advisory Committee is working on an interactive map of existing and proposed trails in the city.<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cAs a student, I understand the importance of reliance on this trail network,\u201d Wells said. \u201cI understand the necessity of people my age of local trails and having access to safe, reliable transportation to where they need to go.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cWe want student voices to help shape our community, a community they come back to after they go to college or after they start their careers,\u201d said Dianna McDowell, a teacher with the VBCPS Environmental Studies Program. \u201cWe want this to be a city for the future.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><span class=\"TextRun SCXW134486046 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW134486046 BCX0\">To learn more,<\/span> <\/span><a class=\"Hyperlink SCXW134486046 BCX0\" href=\"https:\/\/virginiabeach.gov\/connect\/blog\/leading-by-example-inspiring-change-students-lead-service-projects-on-city-appointive-agencies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span class=\"TextRun Underlined SCXW134486046 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW134486046 BCX0\" data-ccp-charstyle=\"Hyperlink\">visit virginiabeach.gov<\/span><\/span><\/a><span class=\"TextRun SCXW134486046 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW134486046 BCX0\"> or\u00a0<\/span> <\/span><a class=\"Hyperlink SCXW134486046 BCX0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=lErdvV6eG0g\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span class=\"TextRun Underlined SCXW134486046 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW134486046 BCX0\" data-ccp-charstyle=\"Hyperlink\">watch this video<\/span><\/span><\/a><span class=\"TextRun SCXW134486046 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW134486046 BCX0\"> produced by Kellam High School student <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW134486046 BCX0\">Sadie Mixer<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW134486046 BCX0\">.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW134486046 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Students serve on a number of city boards, providing a youthful perspective to government officials while learning how to make an impact on their community.\u00a0\u00a0 The first student served on [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":13716,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13712","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13712","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13712"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13712\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13724,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13712\/revisions\/13724"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13716"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13712"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13712"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13712"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}