(3/25) The Carroll Valley Borough Council will soon have insight from the municipality’s teenage demographic. The council unanimously named twins Sarah Simmons and Emma Abigail Simmons junior council members. The sisters responded to a request posted on the borough’s Facebook page.
"They are bright and do some pretty cool things," Borough Manager Dave Hazlett said.
The Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs Junior Council Person Program allows youth to engage with borough government and refine their leadership skills. It also gives borough officials the opportunity to serve as mentors to students who may be the town’s future leaders.
Hazlett said Carroll Valley has participated in the program for some time, but no one has applied for more than 20 years.
The Simmonses are tenth grade students who are homeschooled, according to their resumes. Both have received numerous awards in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. They are also 2023 members of the National Junior Honors Society, Archbishop James Bayley Chapter at Mother Seton School. They hold a 4.0 GPA. Their Cognitive Abilities Test, Iowa Assessments, and High School Placement Test results are in the 99th percentile.
"If I got job applications like this, I would be hiring them pretty fast," Hazlett said.
In their cover letters, the Simmons sisters said they believe their relationship with elected council members would be mutually beneficial.
"I believe that the issues that the council addresses on a regular basis are not just ‘adult’ issues," Sarah Simmons wrote in her application’s cover letter. "Issues such as safety, recreational opportunities, economic development, and sustainable growth all have a real impact on the youth of this community."
In her cover letter, Emma Simmons wrote her educational curriculum mostly focuses on state and national government so she views the position as an opportunity to expand her knowledge.
"I believe that the community level government is just as important, as so much of what affects people the most is what takes place in their own communities," she wrote.
Hazlett concurred.
"I look forward to having an opportunity to have a whole different demographic of mindset to hear their take on some of the things that we face," he said.
The Simmons sisters will be advisory members and cannot vote on official actions. Their terms will likely begin this summer, Hazlett said. Councilman John Schubring volunteered to take the lead on making their experience valuable.
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