West Memphis adds student to Parks Commission

West Memphis adds student to Parks Commission

Director hopes to increase youth involvement with park and recreational activities

By John Rech

news@theeveningtimes.com With the belief youth are the future to a vibrant West Memphis, city council moved to appoint its first-ever high school student to a city commission. Councilman James Pulliaum underscored his excitement for the unprecedented nomination by Parks and Recreation Director Lorenzo Parker.

“The Municipal League has been talking about getting youth involved with what goes on in our communities,” said Pulliaum. “Lorenzo Parker and I have talked. We agree this student’s nomination would

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be a good start. The league developed a resolution they wanted cities to adopt, and this would be a good start getting our youth involved.”

Councilwoman Ramona Taylor introduced the nomination to city council for the parks commission seat. City Council resounded with a second in unison heard up and down the panel.

Pulliaum again expressed hope that official involvement from city youth would serve to shake voter apathy and spark interest in local government from young voters.

“Hopefully this will start getting our youth involved in the legislative process,” said Pulliaum.

“They will be up here running it in a few years,” said Mayor Bill lohnson.

With that, council confirmed Academies of West Memphis student Kaitlyn Brock’s appointment to the Park Commission.

Brock has worked three jobs and holds a busy school activity calendar while producing a 4.0 grade point average.

She worked at Incredible Pizza cleaning up and hosting children’s parties.

She sold shoes for a while and you may have seen her hostessing at Cracker Barrel. Brock held several interests at school including IROTC, Beta Club, FBLA, Student Council, Debate team, and Choir. The new appointee has served the homeless food and ministry at the Memphis Union Mission.

Parker searched for a student using recommendations from faculty and counselors at the Academies of West Memphis.

“They loved the idea too, because this is something that will help a student as they apply for college scholarships with volunteer hours serving the community,” said Parker. “If word gets out that a youth is serving on the parks commission and actually having an impact it may resonate with some ownership interest in the care of the parks among the youth.

The ones 16 years old and down are really the ones using the parks the most.

Youth may have a lot of ideas to bring to the table that we are overlooking.”

Parker said youth interests had shifted and a student seat on the parks board would help keep commissioners abreast of needed changes in neighborhood parks.

“The days of basketball goals and pool tables are over,” he said. “It is all about wi-fi and tablets now.”