Philadelphia students step into City Hall simulation to tackle World Cup investment, city challenges

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More than 60 Philadelphia high school students simulated city government on Wednesday to brainstorm solutions to urgent issues in the city.

The Philadelphia City Government Youth Summit, hosted by the Greater Philadelphia YMCA in partnership with the mayor’s office and City Council, provided students with the opportunity to learn about how policy is created and take on executive, legislative, press and community stakeholder roles.

Through a series of sessions, students proposed answers to the question of how Philadelphia can balance short-term World Cup preparations with long-term investments for residents while implementing commitments to equity and human rights.

Mayor Cherelle Parker told the students Wednesday morning that she was nervous the first time she had to speak at a City Council meeting as a young person.

“This exposure here today is essential because we want this to be your norm, we want this to be your standard,” she said.

Parker urged the students to be “architects of solutions.”

“Today, you’re going to get an opportunity to learn something important, that it’s easy to point out a problem, and you should have the ability and the wherewithal to communicate what you’re thinking and you’re feeling,” she said. “But it’s much more complex when you try to solve a problem.”

Finding solutions

Jada Fagan, 18, served in Parker’s role, acting as mayor for the day. Fagan, a recent Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School graduate who will attend Rutgers University in the fall, said she learned that the mayor “has a lot on her hands.”

She said stepping into the role for the day to facilitate communication on the issue of World Cup preparations was “a little nerve-wracking.”

“Transportation is a big issue regarding traffic,” Fagan said. “SEPTA fees, are they going to remain the same for the locals? Is it fair to oppose SEPTA taxes on tourists? So that’s really our main focuses right now, and just communicating, being transparent with the public about the next coming event.”

She said the experience taught her to be “less of a complainer and be more of a problem solver.”

“It’s harder to find solutions than complain all day,” she said.

‘The youth aren’t the future, they are the present’

The Philadelphia City Government Youth Summit is an effort to address gaps in civic engagement for young people, organizers said. According to research from the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University, only 40% of all youth, and just 34% of young people of color, say they’re well-qualified to participate in politics.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for our young people to engage in civic responsibility, learn how to advocate, learn how to network, understand how our government works and to be important citizens of our community,” said Shaun Elliott, president and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia YMCA. “So [I’m] really glad that all of them have taken the time to invest in themselves, because as we all know, this is our future before us.”

Ja’Kiyah Wright, a 17-year-old rising senior at Universal Audendried Charter School, served as council president Wednesday. She said participating in the YMCA’s Youth and Government program in Harrisburg this year was one of her favorite experiences in the YMCA’s Youth Civic Engagement programs.

“There [were] at least three to five students in each committee room that was a Philadelphia delegate, and the poise and the confidence that they gave, and the experiences that they gave from being in Philadelphia and doing their research was absolutely amazing to see,” Wright said. “Us teenagers, every day, we think there’s no change that can be done. At times, it feels kind of isolating. But to have a space like [Youth and Government] and the YMCA and [Youth Civic Engagement] and all, it’s just so. I can’t even, it’s very amazing to see how many people actually want change.”

Kailey Reinboth, 18, a recent graduate of Boyertown Area Senior High School who will attend Gettysburg College in the fall, said participating in the Youth and Government program has made her a “more conscious citizen.”

“The youth aren’t the future, they are the present, and we really need to enforce that in making sure that we’re not making change in the future,” she said. “We are making change now, and ultimately, as citizens, it is our job to make that change.”

Editor’s Note: This story is part of a series on Youth Civic Engagement funded by the William Penn Foundation. WHYY News produces independent, fact-based news content for audiences in Greater Philadelphia, Delaware and South Jersey.