The Seattle Youth Commission (SYC) is made up of 15 Seattle teens from across the city appointed by the Mayor and City Councilmembers. Youth Commissioners represent each of the seven City Council Districts, as well as eight at-large. Department of Neighborhoods thanks the SYC for their hard work and dedication to connecting youth to local elected officials, advising on City policies, and discussing issues that youth in Seattle face. Read about what this dynamic group is up to with updates from the Youth Commissioners themselves.

Commission Updates

By Bill Chen, At-Large Youth Commissioner, Position 8

First, we’d like to thank former commissioners Saniata Salva and Nellie Harrington for their hard work over the past two years. We’re sad to see you go and wish you luck going forward! There are positions on the Commission currently open, so if you’re interested, make sure to keep an eye on our website for when application season begins.

We’ve also recently welcomed three new commissioners: Audrey Mai Trinen, Max C., and Koreb Tadesse! We look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together for the remainder of our terms.

The Seattle Youth Commission elected its two new Co-chairs, Mohini Kaplan and Caleb Goldberg, and a new Secretary, Harry Sumner. Congratulations on your new roles, and good luck with the responsibilities!

The Commission has also restructured its subcommittees, with a new focus on our social media. This restructure includes a work plan outlining the future of the Commission and other foundational documents.

Youth Safety Ambassadors

By Sabi Yoon, District 6 Youth Commissioner

The Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) and the Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) launched the Seattle Youth Safety Ambassadors (YSA) program for the 2025–26 school year. The youth-led program promotes mental health awareness, community safety, and peer-to-peer outreach in Seattle schools.

Through the program, students ages 15–19 from Seattle Public Schools high schools including Chief Sealth International High School, Franklin High School, Garfield High School, Ingraham High School, and Rainier Beach High School can apply to become Youth Safety Ambassadors. Ambassadors spread awareness about free mental health and safety resources, participate in school safety events, and create youth-friendly outreach campaigns for their peers. 

Members of the Seattle Youth Commission supported the program by participating in interviews for Youth Safety Ambassador applicants to ensure youth voice was part of selecting ambassadors who are passionate about improving safety and wellness in their school communities. Additionally, in early March 2026, several commissioners met with the Youth Safety Ambassadors to discuss collaboration on safety initiatives and ways youth leaders across the city can work together. These conversations started building connections between youth leaders and laid the groundwork for future collaboration in early spring of this year for projects that support safer, healthier school communities. 

Youth Resource and STEM Fair

By Max Chandrasekaran, District 7 Youth Commissioner

Earlier this month, the Seattle Youth Commission participated in Congressman Adam Smith’s Youth Resource and STEM Fair at the Museum of Flight on March 1. The event brought together students, educators, and organizations from across Western Washington to celebrate youth innovation in our state.

The Seattle Youth Commission hosted a table that drew students of all ages. It was encouraging to see younger children and teenagers share their ideas about how Seattle can better serve its youth. Many attendees spoke about the challenges they face as students, highlighting opportunities for the city to improve accessibility and engagement for young people.

One conversation that stood out was with a high school student from the Kitsap Peninsula, who described difficulties navigating public transportation after arriving by ferry in downtown Seattle. “As a Seattle Youth Commissioner representing District 7, it was inspiring to meet and engage with teens from across Western Washington,” said Commissioner Max Chandrasekaran. “Hearing firsthand about transportation challenges reminded me how important it is that Seattle remains accessible and easy to navigate. I look forward to sharing these concerns with fellow commissioners as we explore ways to improve safety and transit accessibility at our port.”

Throughout the day, students visited with communities from Bellevue, Tukwila, Tacoma, Everett, and Bellingham, providing a diverse perspective on youth experiences across the region. Engaging with these students reinforced the importance of representing their voices in city-level decision-making.

Commissioners also spoke with Congressman Adam Smith, who welcomed the Youth Commission’s participation and expressed enthusiasm for supporting youth leadership in the region. The Seattle Youth Commission is grateful for the chance to participate in the event and looks forward to future opportunities to engage with students from across Western Washington.

Stay up-to-date with activities and announcements from the Seattle Youth Commission by following them on Instagram at www.instagram.com/seattleyouthcommission/