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MONTEVALLO – The members of the Montevallo Junior City Council have a variety of projects on the horizon and are looking to bring several more members on board.

The group of middle and high school students has made the best of the COVID-19 guidelines and carried on with its mission of community outreach, according to Junior Mayor Olivia Gilbert.

“This year, I wanted the MJCC to accomplish our goals, despite the setbacks caused by COVID,” Gilbert said. “I think that the MJCC has done an incredible job making the shift to all virtual and all socially distanced projects and meetings. We have overcome the very many and very different obstacles this past year and hope to continue to make an impact in Montevallo.”

MJCC members will join city boards, commissions and committees as ex-officio members who will attend meetings, share opinions and represent the youth in Montevallo.

“We love getting the chance to represent our peers in any capacity that we can,” Gilbert said. “Personally, I’m very excited to get the chance to serve on the Montevallo Main Street Board of Directors.”

The MJCC is also organizing a project designed to highlight high school students’ appreciation and love for Montevallo for Valentine’s Day.

“We’re going to display a paper heart in the hallway at Montevallo High School,” Gilbert said. “Students will be able to stop by and write what they love about Montevallo onto the heart. The MJCC will be sharing all the responses on our social media.”

The group is also working on a project to display artwork from students on bookmarks at Parnell Memorial Library, and Super Youth Saturdays – the MJCC’s initiative recognizing young leaders in the community – is an ongoing effort.

“Our social media committee came up with this great idea,” Gilbert said. “Every other Saturday we highlight a student on our Facebook and Instagram page. These students are nominated by teachers, coaches, parents, etc. The nomination link is located on our Facebook page if anyone would like to nominate a Montevallo student.”

Gilbert said one of the MJCC’s long-term goals is to develop a skate park in Montevallo.

The group recently wrapped up a shoe drive in which it collected more than 70 pairs of shoes for Soles4Souls.

More service projects are slated for this year, Gilbert said.

The MJCC currently has 10 members and has space for five more.

Applications are available at Montevallojuniorcitycouncil.com and will be open until the spots are filled.

Students in eighth-12th grades who attend Montevallo High School, Montevallo Middle School or live in the city limits are eligible to apply.

“We are really looking for students who want to be leaders and want to learn more about leadership in Montevallo,” Gilbert said.

Visit Montevallojuniorcitycouncil.com or @montevallojuniorcitycouncil on Facebook and Instagram for more information and updates.