Teenagers in Port St. Lucie are being invited to apply for the City of Port St. Lucie Youth Council, an initiative aimed at allowing young residents to voice their opinions and contribute to community decisions. The council is open to students entering grades 9-12 for the 2025-26 school year who reside in Port St. Lucie.
Applications are open from May 12 until June 13, with interested candidates encouraged to complete an online form available at CityofPSL.com/YouthCouncil.
The Youth Council was created in 2023 to give young people a platform for involvement in local governance and decision-making processes. The council’s membership grew significantly from its first year, increasing from nine members initially to over 45 participants during the 2024-25 term.
In the past year, two committees were formed within the Youth Council: the High-Performance Public Spaces Committee and the Youth Recreation/Teen Programming Committee. These groups provided input on various programs such as Naturally PSL Program, Parks & Recreation initiatives, and activities by the Special Events Department. They also offered perspectives on events like Juneteenth celebrations, the Fall Fun Fest of 2025, and a Police Department Youth initiative.
Members had opportunities for broader engagement by attending events such as the Florida League of Cities Youth Summit in Tallahassee and the National League of Cities Youth Conference in Tampa.
Additionally, council members participated actively in city activities by conducting surveys about current and future projects at events including the International Festival, PSLinLights, Citizen Summit, FAM Fest, and Love Your Block gatherings.
A notable achievement was advocating for an end-of-year event for high school students called “Big Summer Blowout.” This celebration will occur again this year on Monday, June 2 from 12-4:30 p.m., hosted by the City’s Parks and Recreation Department at Minsky Gym.
