Windermere youth reactivate WAY Committee

Two Olympia High School students are bringing the Windermere Active Youth Committee back to the town of Windermere. 

Sisters Anna and Maija Andert, both sophomores at the school, are working to reactivate the special committee with a new mission and vision: To have a positive impact on the town through encouraging volunteerism and civic responsibility, advocating for the community, and building meaningful relationships among generations.

“The Windermere Active Youth Committee is dedicated to promoting involvement among generations of Windermere residents and educating the youth on local government,” the pair explained at the Sept. 10 Windermere Town Council meeting. “Through volunteerism and civic responsibility, the WAY Committee members hope to improve not only our relationship with the community but also with our environment. The Windermere Active Youth Committee will create volunteer opportunities for members and students of surrounding high schools. The creation of this committee will unite residents through accomplished goals and community betterment.”

THE NEXT GENERATION

The WAY Committee was established by local high school students several years ago and aimed to foster community engagement, educate youth about local governance and bridge the intergenerational gap. 

However, the committee’s activities had to be suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Town Manager Robert Smith said he is pleased to announce the committee’s reactivation in the town of Windermere. 

“This revitalization presents opportunities for renewed civic participation, knowledge sharing, and meaningful connections between younger and older community members,” he said. 

Maija Andert said the pair got the idea to reactive the committee the summer before their freshman year but ended up getting busy with starting high school.

“We wanted to start this committee up again because our mom was the liaison when the WAY Committee first started, and we would tag along to the meetings in elementary school,” she said. “I always looked up to the high-schoolers and hoped to be a part of it myself.”

“I vividly remember watching Grace Foglia talk to the council for the first time about creating the committee and seeing all the ‘big kids’ who were going to sign up and just being in awe that they could do such a big thing,” Anna Andert added. “Ever since then, I’ve wanted to do the same. So, when the option to reactivate the committee presented itself, I just knew I couldn’t say no.”

The WAY Committee will comprise 10 to 12 voting members who would be Windermere residents, as well as an unlimited number of non-voting members who will be required to live in the 34786 area code. All members will be current high school students. 

The sisters plan to recruit members through announcements from the town, advertisements with local publications, contact with high-school service and civic clubs, and speaking with friends and parents of potential members. 

Meeting dates and times, as well as bylaws regarding topics such as attendance requirements, will be voted on by the committee members. 

Committee activities will include government and civic education, such as a tour of the police department and town facilities, meetings with town staff, attending Town Council meetings, and learning about the Florida Sunshine Law; producing a signature event designed by the committee; and volunteering for other town committees, events and activities. 

Initial funding for the committee is to be determined in coordination with town staff and will need to be approved by the Town Council. The funding will help cover the cost of T-shirts for the committee members to be worn at events and meetings, advertisements for events, and staffing and supplies needed for hosted events. 

An initial meeting for the committee is planned for Oct. 30, and the meeting will cover topics including introductions, bylaws, scheduling, composing a mission statement and selecting officers. 

“We believe that we would show our community that our generation cares about our town and our government just as much as older ones,” Anna Andert said. “We want to show that you’re never too young for civic responsibility. Our ultimate goal is to improve youth representation in our town and its government and have the committee grow bigger than what we imagine today.”

Council Member Mandy David will serve as the liaison for the WAY Committee. 

The sisters said they are both thrilled to be able to reactive the club and recognize the people who have helped out along the way, including their mother Liz Andert and Smith.

“This committee will help get the youth involved with town events and bring our generations closer,” Maija Andert said. “My ultimate goal for this committee is to educate our generation and sink the roots of this committee into the town and hopefully have it last for a long time — even after we graduate. I hope that future years of the committee and youth will expand our goals and even bring an idea on behalf of our town to the state.”