June 2021 – In April 2021, Lena Young, founder of the Tampa Heights Junior Civic Association (THJCA), called upon Plan Hillsborough to share its expertise with the youth at her summer camp. Agency staff eagerly moved into action. The result is an eight-week, high-energy program designed to help young people advocate for city planning and transportation safety in their community.
Based on the Planning Commission’s high school program called FLiP (Future Leaders in Planning) and a Vision Zero summer workshop series the organization held in 2019, FLiP Jr. delivers one-hour-long, weekly workshops that range from bicycle safety to zoning.
“At Plan Hillsborough, our mission is to coordinate land use, transportation, and Hillsborough River planning. I think it is beyond awesome to teach kids how to be involved in that mission,” project manager Davida A. Franklin said. “The kids are so creative. And who knows? Maybe their recommendation to use private helicopters as a transit option would one day translate into the creation of an aerial flyway. Our future actually belongs to them.”
FLiP Jr. is serving 60 youth across three locations in Tampa Heights, Palm River, and Town ‘n’ Country. The highlight of the experience will be the final reveal of an outdoor beautification project at THJCA. The project will involve landscape restoration and the creation of a mural. For more information and sponsorship opportunities, contact Davida A. Franklin at franklind@plancom.org or 813-565-9379.
