The Mayor Dave Wood Youth Advisory Council (MYAC) had its Mock Council Meeting on June 10th, 2024. The Mock Council serves as the MYAC’s Leadership Project for 2023-2024. Mrs. Jaimi Wood designed a council topic based on an actual Mishawaka resolution for the students to use when pursuing their “mock council meeting.”
To complete a council meeting, students would need background information on their topic to participate to the best of their ability. Mrs. Wood provided the students with the same information for their topic in a fictional Council Packet, along with assigned roles for the “meeting.” Students were divided into three groups: “for,” “against,” and council members. Each participant would then have to pursue developing an argument supporting their assigned side, questions, and ideas which would be through the perspective of their role.
Research and development for this project began in March 2024, and since then, the MYAC has been working vigorously to prepare for the big meeting. The students paired with various groups to understand their topic and role, construct a supporting argument with well-thought-out questions and ideas, and practice their public speaking skills.
Students learned various skills from visiting guests such as tactics for substantiating claims, the importance of civil discourse, and learning to lead and accept innovative ideas with confidence.
The Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council gives a special thank you to the two law students and professor of Notre Dame, Clerk Block, Mishawaka City Council President Gregg Hixenbaugh, the Mishawaka City Council, and Demetrius Jackson of Elevate with Eleven.
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