ORANGE – The Orange County Transportation Authority is accepting applications for its Teen Council, a group that allows high school students to learn about transportation-related topics while providing OCTA with valuable feedback on a wide range of projects and programs.

Students selected for the council will serve a one-year term and meet every other month during the 2023-24 school year. The program will have a total of five meetings, with the first beginning in September. Applications are due by July 14 and can be found at octa.net/TeenCouncil.

The Teen Council is an important part of OCTA, where members build teamwork, critical thinking, and communication skills while working alongside peers and OCTA staff to develop and implement projects.

In past years, Teen Council members have provided insight on the development of marketing campaigns including OCTA’s Youth Summer Pass, OC Flex and Taco Transit Tuesday.

Teen Council members attend professional workshops hosted by OCTA staff and are provided with meaningful networking and leadership opportunities. Service on the Teen Council is an asset to highlight on resumes and college applications and time spent on the council may also count toward community service hours.

Teen Council members must be 13 to 18 years old as of Sept. 1, 2023, an Orange County resident and be entering grades 9 to 12 at an Orange County public, private or home school. Along with the application, those seeking to serve on the Teen Council must submit a personal essay and a letter of recommendation to be considered.

For more information and to apply to the Teen Council, visit octa.net/TeenCouncil.

About OCTA

The Orange County Transportation Authority is the county transportation planning commission, responsible for funding and implementing transit and capital projects for a balanced and sustainable transportation system that reflects the diverse travel needs of the county’s 34 cities and 3.2 million residents. With the mission of keeping Orange County moving, this includes freeways and express lanes, bus and rail transit, rideshare, commuter rail and active transportation. To sign up for more OCTA news, visit octa.net/GetConnected.