LEWISTON – The city of Lewiston is announcing that members are being sought for the July 2007 to July 2008 Lewiston Youth Advisory Council year of service.

The purpose of the youth council is to serve as an advisory council to the Lewiston City Council in regard to community issues affecting youth. Members also serve as liaison between the youth of the community and the city.

The council also enables youth to work toward goals that empower all of the community’s youth and also undertakes service projects that enhance the community. The council was first established by the Lewiston City Council in October of 2001.

Youth who reside in Lewiston are encouraged to apply for membership on the council, and applications will be made available at Lewiston High School, St. Dominic Regional High School, Lewiston Middle School, the city administrator’s office, 27 Pine St., and the Lewiston Recreation and Parks Department, 65 Central Ave.

The deadline for application submission is May 11. Current members may re-apply.

To be considered for membership, an individual must be a Lewiston resident and a high school student/home-schooled student in grades nine through 12 or, at the time of application, an eighth-grade student who will be entering grade nine in the forthcoming academic year.

Most recently, the Lewiston Youth Advisory Council unveiled its “U Booze U Looze” youth-to-youth underage drinking awareness initiative. Other projects undertaken by the council include submitting an application nominating Lewiston as an All-America City in 2006; a 2006 Youth Fine and Performing Arts Celebration; partnering with the Lewiston Fire Department for “Is Your Number Up,” a house/business address posting campaign to enable quick response by emergency responders; raising funds that sited city’s 1891 E. Howard timepiece as a multi-level siting at Lewiston City Hall; and leading a community-wide noise pollution awareness campaign that resulted in an enhanced Lewiston noise ordinance.

The group, in partnership with the Lewiston School Department, is also continuing to pursue funds to site electronic message boards at the entrances of Lewiston High School as a community communication tool. In addition, LYAC has taken a position on various proposed legislation.

A Selection Committee will review all submitted council applications, conduct group interviews and appoint up to 15 youth for the 2007-2008 service year. The committee will make their selection by the last Friday in June, and selected youth will be subsequently notified, then officially appointed during a July Lewiston City Council meeting.

For more information, residents may contact Dottie Perham-Whittier, community relations coordinator, LYAC co-adviser, 784-2951, ext. 110, [email protected] or Maggie Chisholm, recreation and parks director, LYAC co-adviser, 782-5951, [email protected]; TTY/TDD, 784-5999.

For more information on the youth council, interested parties may visit the LYAC home page at www.ci.lewiston.me.us/lyac.