Niagara Falls youth committee returns

(Editor’s note: Taylor Anthony is covering Niagara Falls for Channel 7. You can email story ideas to her at taylor.anthony@wkbw.com

By Taylor Anthony

WKBW.com

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — At just 10 years old, Ra’Shyla Rodgers already knows what she wants for her city: safer streets, more kid-friendly spaces, and a seat at the table where decisions are made.

Ra’Shyla, a fifth grader at Abate Elementary School, is the first Youth Ambassador for Niagara Falls’ newly formed Youth Advisory Committee, an initiative designed to give young people a direct voice in local government.

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The committee was launched by Bridgette Myles, the first Black woman elected to the Niagara Falls City Council. Youth engagement, Myles says, was a central part of her campaign and a priority she wanted to act on early in her term.

“We can’t tell the youth what they need. We need them to tell us what they need,” Myles said. “Our role is to give them the tools necessary for quality of life, so they don’t feel alone and they feel heard.”

The Youth Advisory Committee is made up of nine volunteer members of varying ages, along with a Youth Ambassador who helps connect student perspectives to city leadership. Myles hopes to eventually expand the program by appointing an ambassador from every school in the Niagara Falls City School District.

Ra’Shyla says the role gives kids an opportunity to speak up about issues adults may not always see.

“Some kids have thoughts that adults could never imagine sometimes,” she said. “Sometimes kids just want to tell them their ideas.”

Those ideas include practical concerns, like fixing potholes to prevent accidents, and bigger safety initiatives such as installing emergency call buttons at parks where children could quickly get help if they felt unsafe.

For Myles, hearing those ideas directly from young residents is the point.

“This is a turning point for our youth,” she said. “Hopefully this will be huge.”

The Youth Advisory Committee held its kickoff meeting on Thursday, February 26, at Niagara Falls City Hall. City leaders say the meeting marks the beginning of an ongoing effort to place youth voices front and center in shaping Niagara Falls’ future.