Youth Commission president Kavya Saxena highlights teen-led civic engagement in Cabarrus County

Kavya Saxena, a rising senior at Hickory Ridge High School and president of the Cabarrus County Youth Commission, said the commission gives students opportunities to work across schools and engage directly with local issues.

"The Youth Commission is a teen-led organization," Saxena said. "You get to work with students from different high schools who have different perspectives about pressing issues in our community and you get to make a direct impact."

Saxena described the commission’s activities as including visits to other high schools, conversations with professionals from different career fields and collaborative projects aimed at addressing community milestones. She said those experiences have exposed members to real decisions made within local government and helped develop leadership skills.

"The Youth Commission has really developed me as not just a person but as a leader," Saxena said, adding that working with peers who hold differing views taught members how to collaborate and advocate for issues that affect teens.

Her remarks emphasized youth engagement and the commission’s role in connecting students with career professionals and local government processes. Saxena framed the commission as a pathway for high-school students to learn about civic participation and to bring teen perspectives into county discussions.