New junior council persons sworn in at Fox Chapel meeting

Two Fox Chapel teens have officially become the borough’s newest and youngest appointed leaders.

Shady Side Academy senior Bree Murphy and Fox Chapel Area High School junior Logan Dressman were sworn in as junior council members at council’s Oct. 17 meeting.

Mayor Walter Scott III administered the oath of office. Scheduling conflicts had prevented the students from being sworn in sooner.

“We’re really excited to have two junior council members joining us,” the mayor said as he welcomed them to the center of council chambers.

Junior council members do not vote on issues brought before council. They cannot participate in executive sessions and closed-door discussions. The program is designed to develop leadership skills, help youths have a voice in their municipality and raise political awareness. Murphy and Dressman eventually will work on a project to better serve their peers.

Murphy, 18, is the captain of the academy’s girls’ varsity soccer and track teams as well as vice president of the spirit store club and social media director and tutor for SSA Children of Steel, a club that pairs high school students as tutors, mentors and friends with elementary learners.

She also gives tours of the academy to prospective families and assists at admission events. This is her first attempt at political service.

“I never felt compelled to run (for any office),” she said. “When I heard this position opened up, I thought that not only is it a great way to get involved in the community, but it’s a great way to get involved in politics in general since I’ve never done it before. It just seemed like a win-win to try something new and get involved with my neighborhood.”

She was appointed Aug. 15 and will serve through the end of the current academic year.

Dressman, 16, a Model UN club head delegate, was unanimously appointed a junior councilperson on Sept. 19.

He will serve through the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years and have the summer off in between, just like in school.

Dressman has aspirations of becoming a U.S. foreign service officer.

“I’m really looking forward to working in local government and taking a more direct process in changing laws and ordinances and whatnot. I’m just really excited to be here and really glad that I got this opportunity,” he said.

He also swims competitively for the high school and for a private club.

Fox Chapel adopted the junior council program in 2017. The borough’s first junior council person was Harper Bennett, daughter of council President Andrew Bennett. Then the program fell by the wayside the past few years.

Councilman Bradley Harrison and Councilwoman Sarah Hanna have worked since March to restore the program.

”I think this is a great opportunity to allow that next generation, who’s going to be our politicians and running our country one day, for them to have an opportunity to get away from Facebook (and) get away from social media and actually see how things happen. On the local level, I think it helps build a community and makes us all more connected,” Hanna said.

She called Murphy and Dressman “really delightful, intelligent, charismatic individuals” who will be a benefit to their borough.