BLAINE, Minn. – (April 18, 2019) – Every board and commission in the City of Blaine swore in members this month, with terms coming to an end and new terms beginning. One of the newest to join is 17-year-old high school senior Drew Brown.
“I’d like to go get a J.D. and become a lawyer,” said Drew Brown. “I took AP [Government] in school this year. It got me interested.”
His interest led him to the city to ask how he could get involved. Under the recommendation of City Clerk Cathy Sorensen, Drew served as an election judge last fall. Still interested in doing more, he was advised to apply to serve on a city board or committee.
Ultimately, he wasn’t accepted as a member of a city commission, but the council gave him a unique opportunity.
“The council did not want to let this young man go,” said Cathy Sorensen. So they created this adjunct position member.”
This week he attended his first commission meeting – the Natural Resources Conservation Board. Along with this committee, he’ll also sit in on planning commission, traffic commission, and the park advisory board.
Drew is clearly younger than everyone who sits on this board, and Cathy is sure that this will help him bring something new to the group.
“He’s just very personable. He speaks very well with staff and residents. He worked very well with our election judges – which is normally just a different age group than he might be used to in his daily school life,” said Sorensen.
At school, Drew keeps busy with marching band, pep band, jazz band, student council, and the school newspaper. He hopes that his government involvement can be the beginning of exploring a political career.
“United States Senator. Thanks my dream goal,” said Drew.
He also hopes to be an example to his classmates.
“I hope to get other kids like me get involved.”
This fall, Drew will start his freshman year at the University of Minnesota, but he still hopes to come to Blaine for as many meetings as his schedule will allow.
