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Vanessa Zelczak-Waryas probably doesn't see herself as the future of community leadership.
After all, she is just 6 years old. She's not even in first grade yet. How can you make a difference when you still have a bedtime?
But in Ligonier, Vanessa is not just learning a lesson. She's giving one.
The master plan for development of the historic Ligonier Beach recreation area will invest more than $15 million into everything from grading and drainage to parking and trails. It's a six-phase project that prioritizes different aspects and aims to give new life to a 100-year-old destination that has been closed since 2018 -- before Vanessa was born.
Phase 5 is where a splash pad, which can convert for ice skating in winter, comes in. It's a fun feature, in keeping with the beach's swimming pool roots.
But in a three-page letter handwritten in blocky text, Vanessa asked Ligonier Township supervisors to reconsider the timeline.
"I think the splash pad should come first because Ligonier needs a place for kids to cool off in summer," she wrote. "I also think a splash pad would make Ligonier more fun for first graders like me."
It's hard to argue with that.
But whether Vanessa is right or not isn't really the point.
Her letter was adorable in its childish earnestness. But it is more than a cute story about a little girl pleading for a summer activity. It was a young citizen exercising her civic muscles.
"I want to make Ligonier a better place," she told the supervisors.
It's startling how seldom those words are spoken at local government meetings.
But a little girl saw an issue. She did some research, asking the most trusted resource she had: her mother. (We could recommend a newspaper subscription, but her mother probably would still have to help her figure out some words.) And then she took her case to the people making the decisions.
This is a case study in community involvement. It's how to pursue change, whether it's having a traffic light installed, advocating for more police or getting potholes filled.
And it comes at a time when we see too few people of all ages showing up at government meetings -- and too few young people registering to vote.
Vanessa still has a good 12 years before she gets to cast a ballot. But if she keeps paying attention and speaking up, she'll do more than fix a few problems. She could inspire others.
The National Institutes of Health says peer pressure isn't always negative. Seeing people participate in positive social behavior can spread virally, just like a cute social media story.
Selfishly, the American Psychological Association notes that prosocial activities give us a real boost in happiness and overall mental health. We even feel better physically.
A State Policy Network study showed that most people believe local involvement is what makes America work, and yet not enough people are participating.
That's where young people like Vanessa come in.
More people of all ages need to pay attention to what is happening in their communities. They need to show up, to raise their voices and to be part of what's happening.
It won't always be as fun as a splash pad or as simple as writing a letter.
But if a first grader can get involved, what excuse does anyone else have for not getting their feet wet?
-- Pittsburgh Tribune-Review