Canton Youth Commission Back to Business

The is back in business. After about a decade, the town has reestablished the commission, which will hold its first official organizational meeting on Wednesday night.

 The six-member commission, which is seeking to increase membership, is meeting Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. at Town Hall. The Youth Commission will discuss a mission statement and elect officials at this open public meeting, according to Jeremy J. Comeau, a youth commission member and initial organizer.

In years past, the youth commission had been in charge of running a teen center and utilized school gyms and cafeterias on odd nights, so kids had a place to go and keep active, Comeau said.

On Wednesday night, the group will establish the mission of the new Canton Youth Commission. The group has met a few times informally , with a representative from the and the

Comeau said that the new Canton Youth Commission, like those in other towns, will “find out the issues that relate to youth in town, troubles or concerns, and all around issues, and try to address them in some way, shape or form.”

The volunteer commission is still seeking new members to join and is also seeking Canton youth to participate on a Youth Advisory Council.  The council would allow middle school and high school students to have a say on the Canton Youth Commission.

“It’s something they can join because they can't be appointed to the commission, but their opinion will be very important to the town,” Comeau said.

The commission hopes to host some youth events and get into contact with the “principals of the middle and high schools and see what their needs may be in terms of what the youth commission could do for them and go from there,” he said.

Any Canton resident interested in joining the Canton Youth Commission can send a letter of interest to the Canton Board of Selectmen . Any Canton middle school or high school student interested in participating on the Advisory Council can email: cantonyouthcommission@gmail.com