SHAMOKIN - Shamokin City's Student Advisory Council held its first meeting Thursday night, laying the groundwork for an effort to revitalize and beautify the city.
Five of the six student volunteers from Shamokin Area Middle/High School met in City Council chambers with City Clerk Steve Bartos and Councilman R. Craig Rhoades to go over the bylaws and mission statement for the new project, approved in January by the council.
"Thank you all for coming out and taking part in this project," Bartos said. "We have a lot going on in Shamokin, and you can help with that."
The council, consisting of Shamokin Area students Robert Bainbridge, Veronica Kiefer, Faith Neiter, Tom Reed, Mariah Bielski, Victoria Young and Lourdes Regional students Kara Kuehner, Peyton Klembra and Gabriella Long, who Bartos met with at the high school later Thursday evening, hopes to encourage the involvement of young people in community affairs and create an awareness of their rights and responsibilities as citizens of Shamokin.
"When the mayor and city council came up with this student board, it was our hope that together we come up with some ideas for projects to establish something permanent," Bartos said. "Something that you can look at 20 years from now and say, 'I helped with that.'"
Thursday's meeting was a brainstorming session with Bartos going over some ideas with them.
"The American Legion Building in town can be restored, with the council working on funding for replacement windows, or to add a splashpad to the municipal pool, or the restoration of the 99 steps," Bartos said.
The students took some of the ideas and ran with them.
"We could have bands play at Claude Kehler Park and raise money that way," Bielski said.
"I like the idea of making a running trail in town heading to the high school," said student Tom Reed.
Bartos encouraged those in attendance to mull over the ideas, not just with themselves, but with fellow students to gauge interest.
"The idea is that we want to make it fun," the clerk said. "If you're not having fun with it, don't do it."
The full council will meet again on Thursday, March 15 to approve the bylaws and select officers.