In 2018, The Polk County Board of Commissioners approved the formation of a Youth Advisory Board (YAB) under Polk County Public Health (PCPH). During the December 20, 2022, Commissioners meeting, Sarah Reese, PCPH Director, recommended a list of students for appointment as a Youth Advisory Board Member for two years. She recommended they reappoint senior Kallie Hand and appoint Lilah Zavoral, Sarah Thoreson, Olivia Ystenes, Katelyn Vesledahl, Julia Buhler, Erin Bowman, and Kyran Moen. All those recommended were appointed to the Youth Advisory Board.
The YAB provides a vehicle for young people in Polk County to become involved in governmental public health services, merging civic engagement and leadership development for high school students. By engaging youth in our agency’s policies, practices, and procedures, we bring new energy, information, and knowledge into our mission-based work through youth-targeted, age and gender-sensitive interventions.
“Our Youth Advisory Board comes together and discusses Public Health matters, advises us on what’s happening in their schools and communities, and works on Public Health initiatives that are important to them. It’s so exciting to have most of our Polk County schools represented and great to have the leadership of students to share their knowledge and experience to guide us in our work. It’s very important that we hear from young people; it helps us do our work and engage in the community the best we can.” – Kirsten Fagerlund, Lead Coordinator, Polk County Public Health.
For more information about the PCPH YAB, contact Kirsten Fagerlund at 218-281-3385 or email kirsten.fagerlund@co.polk.mn.us.
