MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee County is making an effort to get more high school students involved in solving local issues and participating in government-policy making through the Milwaukee County Youth Commission.
County leaders called it a one-of-a-kind program in Wisconsin that gives teenagers a voice and seat the table.
Members of the commission for 2025 were sworn into office and conducted their first meeting of the year on Jan. 15.
“Here at the Youth Commission, we believe that youth is the future Milwaukee, and in order to make laws that impact the future, we need voices of the future, and that’s exactly what this is,” D’Mario Cockfield, one of the co-chairs of the group, said.
Cockfield is a senior at Pius XI High School.
In addition to two co-chairs, the Youth Commission is made up of 18 commissioners, each representing a different district in Milwaukee County. They are all high school students ranging in age from 14- to 18-years-old.
Commissioners live in the district they represent. They get paid a small stipend for active participation and are provided rides to all in-person meetings, as well as a meal at the meeting. They are also given the opportunity to go on field trips, including to the Wisconsin State Capitol.
As commissioners grow in the role, they are consulted by the Milwaukee County Board for recommendations on policy and budget decisions.
Cockfield said the Youth Commission also gets $50,000 every year to aid in causes that it cares about. He said he’s passionate about helping homeless populations.
“What we’re looking forward to is giving micro grants to aid with the funding for organizations that tackle the issues,” Cockfield said.
Abhi Ghelani, a sophomore at Franklin High School, is proud to be a new commissioner this year. He said he’s passionate about promoting racial equity in the county.
“I wanted to feel like I could understand what was going on in our community, you know, the effects of how our schools are, and the way they are,” Ghelani said. “And, you know, kind of making everyone feel more welcome. We are the youth, and if you are a member of the youth, you’re a lot more likely to come to someone your age. A friend, or someone you can be more comfortable with. It’s hard to walk up to an adult and say something, because sometimes you might think that, that adult might not understand you.”
The Milwaukee County Youth Commission still has one vacant seat, representing District 12. District 12 represents the Southwest Side of the City of Milwaukee. Learn more and apply, here.
Correction: This story previously misspelled Abhi Ghelani's name. This has been corrected. (Jan. 27, 2025)