Nhaomi Lartey, 16, joined the Lansdowne Borough Council as a Junior Council Person in January of this year. Nhaomi was selected from a list of applicants through the PA State Association of Boroughs (PSAB) Junior Council Person Program. Since 2000, PSAB has encouraged high school students to get involved in borough government by becoming a Junior Council Person. Since that time, hundreds of students have participated in the JCP Program in boroughs throughout PA. Borough Council welcomes Nhaomi and is happy she is participating with Lansdowne Borough Council!
The youngest of three children, Ms. Lartey resides in Lansdowne with her father and is currently in 10th grade at Pennwood High School’s Green Ave. Campus. Nhaomi enjoys sharing her time and giving back to her community, so participating in school and community activities are important to her. In school, Nhaomi is the sophomore class president, a member of the speech and debate team, and in December of 2019, participated in the Future Business Leaders of America’s Public Speaking Regional Competition. She also tutored elementary school students and enjoyed volunteering at the Franklin Institute as a special mobile programs volunteer. Nhaomi sees college in her future but is not sure what she will be majoring in just yet.
Serving on Lansdowne Borough Council as a Junior Council Person has been a great learning experience for Nhaomi. She attends Borough Council meetings and is currently helping with the “Black History Month - Send Us Your Stories” campaign that the borough has organized for Lansdowne residents to submit essays, poems, and images relating to Black History Month. Experiencing how the government works and how topics are discussed in a very open and honest discourse has been eye-opening for Nhaomi. At council meetings, collaboration and resident feedback are encouraged and discussed politely, and compromise is often reached through civil and respectful discussion.
“Lansdowne Borough Council Members have been so nice and open. I feel I can ask questions about anything with them. I am excited and thankful to have this opportunity,” Nhaomi explains.
Thank you, Nhaomi, for assisting Lansdowne Borough Council in its mission to serve and represent the residents of Lansdowne Borough!