City of Taunton, MA

06/05/2025 | News release | Distributed by Public on 06/05/2025 06:55

A Look Back at Taunton's Youth Leadership Tradition

Did you know that Taunton has a long history of empowering young voices?


Back in the late 1960s, during a time of significant social change-including large student-led protest marches-Mayor Ben Friedman launched a youth "council" to give teens a seat at the table. High school students from Taunton High School, Monsignor Coyle High School and Bishop Cassidy High School elected their own representatives, and students from all three schools voted for a Teen Mayor. This council worked directly with the Mayor to address youth issues and remained active into the early 1970s.

Fast forward to today, and the spirit of youth engagement is alive and well. The Taunton Youth Commission, reestablished several years ago under Mayor O'Connell, continues to thrive. Members meet monthly at City Hall and take part in a wide range of initiatives-from community clean-ups and college tours to City events and outreach programs-all aimed at giving our young residents a voice and a meaningful role in shaping our City.

We are proud to carry on this tradition and support the next generation of Taunton leaders!

(Thank you to Mike Botelho, Taunton Teen Mayor 1966-67, for providing the photos.)

City of Taunton, MA published this content on June 05, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on June 05, 2025 at 12:55 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at support@pubt.io