Houston Mayor Annise Parker has announced that the 2010-11 Mayor’s Youth Council is now taking applications. The MYC emulates the Houston City Council with a chairperson (mayor), city secretary, nine district and five at-large council positions and their accompanying aides.

Youth Council members will gain an understanding of city departments and build rapport with community leaders, citizens and elected officials. Members are called upon to help make decisions affecting Houston’s youth, as well as, participate in numerous activities throughout the year. In addition, they will plan town hall meetings covering topics of interest and concern to their peers, participate in community service projects and gather important input from other students through the annual Houston Youth Survey, the results of which are presented to City Council.

The MYC is directly overseen by the Volunteer Initiatives Program, an organization that promotes volunteerism across Houston. VIP director, Cameron M. Waldner, and associate director, Katherine Price, support the Mayor’s Youth Council in various projects throughout the year.

Guidelines and job descriptions for the 2010-11 terms are now available online. Applicants must be high school students, who reside in the City of Houston, between the ages of 14 and 18. They should demonstrate strong interests in gaining knowledge about city government and promoting discussion on youth-related issues, have excellent organizational skills and work well with young people from a variety of diverse cultures and backgrounds. In addition, applicants must be sponsored by a teacher from their school’s social studies department.

Interested applicants are invited to apply online at www.houstontx.gov/myc. Applications are now being accepted and are due by midnight on Friday, Sept 10. Incomplete applications will not be considered after this date. A panel of youth and adult advisors will review the applications and invite qualified candidates for a personal interview. Decisions will be announced in mid-September.