La Mirada~This year's version of the La Mirada Youth in Government again featured some of La Mirada High School's best and brightest students at the City Council Meeting this past Tuesday night.

Established in 1960, the city's Youth in Government program partners with the La Mirada Ebell Service Club and La Mirada High School to give students an opportunity to work with city officials and learn about municipal government. These students are given the assignment of reviewing community issues or existing programs and services, and then developing alternatives and providing recommendations for enhancing services and programs.

As part of the Youth in Government program, the Student City Council and staff are paired with their city counterparts at a special La Mirada City Council meeting where they conduct business just as a regular city council meeting would be conducted, serving as mock City Council members and staff, presenting their reports on local issues.

In the past, the Youth in Government program has actively contributed, and has seen recommended projects come to fruition, including the development of the La Mirada Community Gymnasium and the installation of left-turn signals at busy intersections.

Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Ruth Perez was on hand to watch the student give their presentations, along with School Board members Jesse Urquidi, Chris Pflanzer, Ed Hengler, and Daryl Adams.

This year's group of youngsters recommended two projects for review and discussion: utilizing social media by creating a mobile app for the city's website to better communicate and serve its residents and; upgrade La Mirada playgrounds to meet new ADA standards.

Each year, members of Congress and the State Assembly and Senate recognize the efforts of the Youth in Government students at the program's annual concluding ceremony.

This year's Youth in Government participants included Sunny Khokhor, Priscilla Lee, Sam Khattar, Jessica Duron, Matthew Alvarez, Brooklynn Ackerman, Olivia Tang, Janice Jang, Justin Rhee, Mark Sologuren, Breanne Flores, Christy Pflanzer , Eva Gaye, Mauricio Pavano, Mario Matal, Kevin Lim, Jorge Martinez, Nathan Decker, Marina Alvarez, Leticia Fonseca, Vanessa Ramirez, Uzair Mumtaz,  and Brian Hanst.

Photos by City of La Mirada: above, 2012 Youth in Government Participants, right, Christy Pflanzer makes presentation with Marina Alvarez looking on.