PROCLAMATION NO. 2024-03
WHEREAS, Luke Naegle served as a Gonzales Youth Commissioner for two years from June 2022 to June 2024 during his Junior and Senior years at Gonzales High School; and WHEREAS, Commissioner Luke Naegle successfully completed the 2022 and 2023 Summer Civic Engagement & Leadership Development Fellowships and collaborated with his fellow Youth Commissioners to recruit, advise, and foster youth leadership during the school years of 2022-2023 & 2023-2024; and
WHEREAS, Commissioner Luke Naegle represented Gonzales Youth voice for five years as the longest serving Youth Council Member; and
WHEREAS, Commissioner Luke Naegle represented Gonzales youth as one of the Youth Advisors to the Gonzales City Council and served as a representative of student voice at the Gonzales Unified School District Board Meetings; and
WHEREAS, Commissioner Luke Naegle partnered with the former Youth Commissioners, the GYC, the City, Gonzales Unified School District, CSUMB and other community partners to plan and implement community-building strategies and events with especially notable contributions to: addressing food insecurity issues during the pandemic by supporting community food distributions, advocating for resources and strategies to address youth mental health, leading a housing research project, making recommendations and shaping the Community Center design, leading the implementation of the first-ever South County Youth Summit, being one of the two youth representatives and presenters for the All-America City Award Competition; and being an active spokesperson for change and resources through various means including live TV interviews, print media, reports and giving speeches where he highlighted the importance of youth engagement, and advocacy; and WHEREAS, Commissioner Luke Naegle has a long history of civic engagement. He is not only currently serves as one of the City’s Youth Commissioners, he was a GYC member before taking on the Commissioner role, he is an active member of the University of Santa Cruz Leaders4EARTH program advocating for environmental justice and has served as the President of Gonzales High School MESA Club and as the Secretary for the Gonzales High School California Scholarship Federation; and
WHEREAS, Commissioner Luke Naegle is an asset to the community and a strong and dedicated advocate. He is always willing to step in and help, and is an inspiration to his classmates and other youth and adults of our community.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED, this 3
rd Day of June in the year 2024, by
the Gonzales City Council, that Luke Naegle is commended for his service, leadership, advocacy, and inspiration. The best wishes of Gonzales go forward with him as he pursues higher education at Hartnell and pursues a Teaching pathway this fall.
Jose L. Rios, The Honorable Mayor
June 3, 2024