Junior Council Person Program

Junior Council Representatives Appointed
Five students of the Township presented themselves as candidates for the Junior Council Person Program at the September 20, 2023 Lower Saucon Township Council meeting.

The Junior Council Person Program provides an opportunity for high school students to participate in local government and serve as a link between the municipal officials and the student’s peers at the high school.

The Council designated the above students for the following assignments (from left to right):

• Nitya Thakkar, a Sophomore at Saucon Valley High School, was appointed as a representative to the Township Council.
• Harrison Vicic, a Junior at Moravian Academy, was appointed as a representative to the Environmental Advisory Council.
• Samuel VanNorman, a Sophomore at Saucon Valley High School, was appointed as a representative to the Parks and Recreation Board.
• Cole Hubert, a Junior at Saucon Valley High School, was appointed as a representative to the Parks and Recreation Board.
• Rudra Thakkar, a Senior at Saucon Valley High School, was appointed as a representative to the Township Council.

The Township appreciates the level of interest that these students have shown in local government and looks forward to their participation and contributions during the coming year!

Background
Wesleyville Borough was the first to establish the program in 1999. Since then, other Boroughs and Townships have followed suit to develop their own Junior Council Person Program.

The Junior Council Person Program is an outstanding opportunity to get the youth of the Boroughs and Townships to participate in the governing process of their own community. The outreach of both the community to the youth and the youth to the community is the start of building our municipalities toward the future.

Lower Saucon Township's program began with the 2002-2003 school year and has been growing ever since.

Purpose
The Junior Council Person Program provides youth in our community with an opportunity to engage in Township government and develop leadership skills. It also allows Township Officials to serve as mentors to students who will be future leaders in their communities.

The program allows students the opportunity to learn critical skills including team building and collaboration, public speaking, public engagement, budgeting and running effective meetings. It also allows the student the opportunity to deliberate on issues that are affecting his or her community.