Youth Advisory Commission

The Youth Advisory Commission meets the second Monday of every month for approximately two hours from September through June. Aside from their monthly meetings, The Youth Advisory Commission dedicates time to planning and executing projects to better their community for youth, and collaborates with the City of Oregon City and other community partners to attend community events and give back to their community.

Member Responsibilities: 

• Review and prepare strategies addressing issues of interest to students in the greater Oregon City community. 
• Participate in an annual goal alignment session at the beginning of each term. 
• Complete tasks and projects as assigned. 
• Attend at least three community service events per term.
• Organize a minimum of one community event or project to engage the larger Oregon City youth community. 
• Prepare an annual report at the end of the term to present to the city commission detailing the accomplishments, challenges, areas for improvement and goals for the future.

The Youth Advisory Commission consists of at least nine and no more than thirteen high school students. To qualify for the Youth Advisory Commission you must be enrolled as a 9th-12th grade student at the time you submit your application. You must also be an Oregon City resident or attend a school within the Oregon City School District to serve on the Youth Advisory Commission. The City of Oregon City accepts applications from: 

• Oregon City High School
• Clackamas Academy of Industrial Sciences 
• Oregon City Service Learning Academy
• Alliance Charter Academy 
• North Clackamas Christian Academy
• Homeschools of Oregon City 

The term of service for the Youth Advisory Commission follows the school calendar and lasts from September through June, with the option for students to meet informally from June through September. Applications for the Youth Advisory Commission open on a yearly, as-needed basis. Applications typically open in the spring and members of the Youth Advisory Commission are sworn in at the first regular meeting of the term. 

Applications for the 2025-2026 Youth Advisory Commission term will be open from May 5 - June 27. Applications will be available for students to complete online via the link below starting at 12 p.m. on May 5 through 5 p.m. on June 27. 

https://onboard.orcity.org/application/

2022-2023

• 2023 Mental Health Awareness Fair 

2023 - 2024 

• 2024 High School Clothing Drive 
• Acted as judging panel for the Oregon City "If I Were Mayor..." Contest 
• Tabled at the 2024 Spring Forward Community Resource Fair 
• Attended the 2024 Oregon Youth Summit

2024-2025

• Resolution 25-04 
  • On behalf of the Youth Advisory Commission, Chair Julian Guerra Molina formally requested that the City Commission create and pass Resolution in support of banning flavored tobacco products and protecting Oregon City youth from a lifetime of nicotine addiction at the City Commission meeting on January 7, 2025.
• 2025 Oregon Youth Summit 
  • All 13 members of the Youth Advisory Commission attended the League of Oregon Cities City Day at the Capitol on January 28, 2025. Members heard from state legislators and met with Representative Annessa Hartman and Senator Mark Meek. Members also connected with other youth commissions at the event to learn about ongoing projects.
• "If I Were Mayor..." Contest 
  • Youth Advisory Commission Members assisted with advertising the local City contest and they also judged the contest at a special meeting held on March 31, 2025. The Chair of the Youth Advisory Commission assisted the Mayor in presenting the contest winners their awards at the City Commission meeting held on April 16, 2025
• Spring Forward Community Resource Fair 
  • Youth Advisory Commission members tabled a booth at the Spring Forward Community Resource Fair on March 8, 2025. They distributed brochures at the event to help inform the community of who they are and what they do for the community. They also advertised for youth participation within the “If I Were Mayor…” Contest.
• 2025 Cancer Action Day 
  • On April 1, 2025, Youth Advisory Commissioners joined the American Cancer Society to lobby for Senate Bill 702. Members met with 8 legislatures and/or their staff members and provided a hook, sink, and link approach to lobbying for SB 702.
    1. Senator Anthony Broadman
    2. Representative Annessa Hartman
    3. Senator Mark Meek
    4. Representative Christine Drazan
    5. Senator Daniel Bonham
    6. Senator Rob Wagner
    7. Representative Ben Bowman – Majority Leader
    8. Representative Julie Fahey – Speaker of the House

  • Before attending the 2025 Cancer Action Day, members participated in a training session held by the American Cancer Society to help prepare them for their hook, line, and sink. During each meeting, members rotated on taking on the role of providing the hook, line, and sink of their lobbying speech to advocate for each legislature’s support on SB 702.  

• Suicide Prevention App Listening Session

  • In partnership with the Clackamas Education Service District, the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Clackamas County’s Youth and Young Adult Action Team created a smartphone app to share information and resources regarding youth suicide prevention. The Youth Advisory Commission held a special meeting on April 21, 2025, to provide feedback on the app’s content, design, accessibility, and name. The Suicide Prevention Coalition of Clackamas County’s Youth and Young Adult Action Team will return to the Youth Advisory Commission once they have incorporated the feedback and provide an update on the launch of the app next term.
• SB 702 Public Hearing
  • The Chair and Vice Chair of the Youth Advisory Commission testified in front of the Senate Finance and Revenue Committee to advocate for the passage of SB 702 on May 21, 2025. Chair, Julian Guerra Molina, and Vice Chair, Myles Kinney testified as part of a youth panel and each member had 2 minutes to complete their testimony.