This year’s Draper City Mayor’s Youth Council (DCMYC) is 106 members strong, the second biggest the city has ever had, and still the largest in the state by a long shot. Membership is open to all high school students who are Draper residents.

“The City Council allowed the funds for as many to participate as wanted to do it, and we appreciate the young people who provide valuable service to our community. We couldn’t do some of our events without them,” Mayor Troy Walker said.

Half of the members are returning and half are new. New members took their Oaths of Office at the Aug. 19 City Council meeting where the youth and proud parents filled council chambers.

In addition to volunteer parent advisors and city advisor Caroline Sagae, the DCMYC is led by an Executive Committee of nine from within their ranks. “The Executive Committee works to make the program go,” Walker said. This year’s Executive Committee includes Payton Johnson, Kennedy Nelson, Jack Romasanita, April Jensen, Taft Derby, Parker Van De Graff, Pro-Tempore Mayors Aaron Babcock and Maren Crosby, and Mayor Bella Page.

“The youth council is a great way to get involved in the community in a beginner friendly and simple way, and it really benefits the city,” Page said. 

Page is following in her older sister’s footsteps as mayor. She has aspired to be mayor since she joined the youth council four years ago. “I really wanted to be that for the younger grades. I’ve met so many amazing people through youth council,” she said. With members from all the high schools in the area including Hillcrest, Alta, Juan Diego, Summit, Corner Canyon (CCHS) and Lone Peak, “It’s a big mix of people I wouldn’t have met if not for the youth council,” Page said.

The CCHS senior’s favorite subjects in school are math and science and her favorite youth council activity is Draper’s half marathon. For that event, youth council members are paired up and sent to the city’s trails to direct and encourage runners. “You don’t usually get paired with someone you know, and I intentionally ask to be paired with someone new. You talk for a couple hours, get to meet people, and have cool conversations,” she said. 

CCHS senior and youth council member Evan Sorensen waved to voters at City Hall the day of Draper’s primary election. Sorensen ran for a two-year term on the City Council which he hoped to fulfill during his senior year of high school and freshman year of college. He lost but said he has no regrets. “I met so many citizens of Draper and got to have adult conversations about issues I wasn’t aware of. It was great to listen,” Sorensen said. (Mimi Darley Dutton/City Journals)

As for civics lessons, Page said the youth council recently had Sergeant Todd from the Draper Police Department talk to them about the Police Academy. “I never knew the behind the scenes. It was very cool insight and a big hit with the youth. I think it’s important the youth council does those so they get a better understanding of the community and city we live in,” Page said. 

One example of civic engagement came from new DCMYC member Evan Sorensen. It his was search of Draper City’s website to learn more about applying for the youth council that led him to realize a two-year City Council term was up for election. “I was browsing the website and I saw there was an election notice and an open seat. I checked into the requirements because, at some point in my life, I wanted to run for political office. 

The only requirements were to be old enough to vote, not be a felon, and be a Draper resident for 12 consecutive months. I’ve lived in Draper for 13 years, so I emailed the city recorder and asked if it would be allowed. She asked the county clerk and city attorney.  I went into City Hall and filed and I got approved,” Sorensen said. At the age of 17, the CCHS senior ran in the primary municipal election, permissible because he would have been 18 by the time the term started. He planned to serve his senior year of high school and freshman year of college. He was allowed to vote in the primary election because the law permits voting if the person will be 18 before the General Election in November and his birthday is at the end of October. 

His primary political objective was to make Draper more affordable for young people. “I was hoping, as a city, we could have more input on developments and oversee small, affordable housing that’s good quality, making more affordable housing for the city and for young people so we don’t have to leave once we graduate high school,” he said. 

Sorensen took advantage of early voting at City Hall. “I remember tapping my name on the screen and I thought ‘wow!’ That’s something most people can’t say they’ve done,” Sorensen said. On the day of the election, he sat outside for 12 hours at a legally allowed distance from in-person voters at City Hall and the county’s ballot drop box to wave to voters. “I had a lot of people pull over and say they voted for me,” he said. He accumulated 487 votes, more than 9%.

Though he lost, Sorensen said he doesn’t have any regrets, and he’s not deterred from running for a political position in the future. “I am beyond positive that I will run for some kind of office again. It was a valuable experience for me and I learned a lot that I can now apply when I’m older. I would advise anybody who is remotely interested in seeking political office to go for it. What’s the worst that can happen? You get 9.6% of the vote and have a really great experience talking to hundreds of people. I think it turned out pretty good for me,” Sorensen said. After graduating from CCHS, Sorensen plans to pursue a degree in Political Science and go to law school. 

DCMYC Mayor Page recently turned 18 and got to vote in the primary municipal election. “It was super cool to see him run and nice to see my age group represented,” she said.

According to Draper City’s Mayor, that’s the point of the youth council. “My goal with them is they know more about government than most Americans…and I think these kids learn that, have a great time, and help our community,” Walker said.