Santa Cruz County swears in first Youth Commission
Eleven high school students now hold seats on Santa Cruz County’s newest advisory body. The County has sworn in the inaugural members of its Youth Commission, creating a permanent way for young people to weigh in on local government.
Commissioners will advise the Board of Supervisors on policies, and programs that affect youth. They will also identify emerging concerns and reach out to young people across the county so their perspectives reach local decision-makers.
The commission is open to students ages 14 to 18 who live and attend school in Santa Cruz County. Five seats are filled by district, with each supervisor appointing one student from their district. The Board chair appoints the remaining six at-large members. For those seats, the County gives preference to one student from each of six groups:
- youth of color
- youth with a physical or learning disability
- youth from rural or unincorporated areas
- youth from immigrant or farmworker families
- youth who identify as low-income
- youth who identify as LGBTQ+
According to the County, the at-large seats are meant to give a voice to young people who may face barriers to taking part in civic life.
The commission traces back to the County’s “A Santa Cruz Like Me” initiative. That effort found significant gaps in who serves on County boards and commissions, and it noted that young adults were missing entirely among survey respondents. In response, the County formed a Youth Advisory Task Force in 2024.
The task force’s outreach to local youth showed that high school students were eager for an ongoing role in County decision-making, not just a one-time chance to weigh in. Affordable housing, mental health, education, homelessness, and the environment topped their list of worries. Building on those results, the task force recommended a permanent commission. Supervisors accepted the recommendation in October 2025 and formally established the Youth Commission in April 2026.
The commission meets once a month from August through June. Each term runs one year, and students can return for a second. Applications for new commissioners open each spring.
More information is available at the Youth Commission page on the County’s website. Questions can be directed to Elizabeth Padilla, senior departmental administrative analyst, at 831-454-3469 or elizabeth.padilla@santacruzcountyca.gov.
Photo at top of page: Members of Santa Cruz County’s first Youth Commission gather with County leaders at their swearing-in. From left: Samuel Rios, Board of Supervisors Chair Monica Martinez, District 3 Supervisor Justin Cummings, Fritzi Aparicio Hernandez, District 1 Supervisor Manu Koenig, Paige Haentjens, Danna Perez-Garcia, Natalie LeBlanc, Aliyah Marcus, Americo Castillo, Cristina Nolasco, Amber Chavez, Chiara Rojas, Chloe Schacher, District 2 Supervisor Kimberly De Serpa and County Executive Officer Nicole Coburn. (Photo contributed by County of Santa Cruz)
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