Youth panel forming in Morgan City

Lucy Kincade wants to be a lawyer.

And at age 15, the Central Catholic student has already successfully pleaded a case: a case for creating a panel of young people with a voice in community affairs.

On Tuesday, Kincade asked the council to create a six-member advisory council composed of Morgan City high school students.

“Our youths need to have a voice in our town,” she said.

And there was general agreement from the council and Mayor Lee Dragna.

“We need ideas from the youth,” said Councilman Tim Hymel, the recently retired principal at Morgan City High.

Kincade is one of 31 members of the Louisiana Youth Advisory Council, a body created by the Legislature. The council members are high school students “with an interest in representing the voices of young people across the state. It opens the line of communication between youth and the Legislature and gives students the opportunity to be involved in the workings of government.”

The members serve for a year and apply to lawmakers for places on the council. The council must include three students from each of the six Louisiana congressional districts. The rest are chosen at large.

The members are chosen by the Louisiana Commission on Civic Education.

For the Morgan City panel, Kincade suggested six members, all high school students in Morgan City, each with a letter of recommendation and a grade point average of at least 3.0.

Councilman Lou Tamporello suggested removing the GPA requirement out of concern that exclusion could lead to legal challenges. The motion creating the panel without the GPA standard passed without objection.

“Overall, I believe we need kids who have a passion and a drive,” Kincade said.

She’s the daughter of Melinda and Steven Kincade.