“They’re 113 members strong. Our city council, the ones that spend the money, decided having a youth council that size is worth every nickel. They perform really meaningful service. We overwhelm the youth council organizations, especially our day at the legislature. It’s awesome. I’m a little competitive, so I don’t mind,” Draper Mayor Troy Walker said.

Fifty-six new members of the Draper Youth Council (DYC) took the oath of office in front of their proud families and the 57 existing members at the Aug. 20 city council meeting.  

Caroline Sagae serves as Youth Council Advisor. “We are so excited that the DYC are able to be of service to the community with so many activities. They are a great bunch of youth; disciplined, full of integrity and so willing to help,” she said.

Membership is open to students in grades nine-12 who are Draper residents. A commitment to a minimum number of volunteer hours in the community throughout the year is a requirement and members must apply and be chosen. The DYC helps with many of the city’s events including the Half Marathon, the International Arts & Crafts Festival, Haunted Hollow, Draper Days, the Tree Lighting Ceremony and the Easter Egg Hunt. In addition, the members have monthly meetings including some civics lessons. 

Connor Van De Graaff is this year’s youth mayor, returning for his fourth year of service with the DYC. He had to commit to helping with five big city events and completing one personal service project to apply to be mayor. Last year, he served in an executive role with the DYC that also required many hours of service and an application. “It’s fun to feel involved and to make a difference in the city. I do like meeting a lot of new youth. You form bonds,” he said. This year he got to walk in the Draper Days Kids Bike Parade, guiding the kids along the parade route. “That was really fun,” he said. 

Van De Graaff is a senior at Corner Canyon High School. He especially enjoys art, including painting with acrylics and an AP Art class he’s currently enrolled in. He plans to go to college, most likely in-state, at BYU or UVU. 

Among his favorite DYC activities is the annual Christmas party when youth council members get to celebrate the various ways they help the Draper community.

New DYC member Payton Johnson, a Corner Canyon High freshman, has already put in quite a few hours of volunteering, including one eight-hour day. The first activity she volunteered for was face-painting during Draper Days. “It’s not something I thought I would be good at, but I got kind of good. I painted Minions, a lot of unicorns, and a lot of Spiderman,” she said. 

Johnson’s favorite subjects in school are math and science and she aspires to be a doctor. She remembers a recent civics lesson she had with the DYC. “We had one meeting where the mayor talked about how the city runs and he threw some interesting facts in there,” she said. 

Sagae has served for many years as advisor to the DYC and she is often helped by other adults.

“I love working with the youth and I’m so grateful to their parents who remind them of the activities and support them in their service,” Sagae said.  λ