By Victor Ocasio
For the News-Gazette

Teens throughout the county may finally have a serious say in what youth programs, events and volunteer opportunities are available to them thanks to the formation of the Kissimmee Teen Advisory Group.

The city’s Parks, Recreation and Public Facilities department is spearheading the new initiative, which aims to provide 6th through 12th graders an organized forum to voice their opinions and suggestions to community leaders.    

“The biggest thing I’ve learned in all my years working with kids is that you’ve got to give them a voice,” said Jaime Paul, Recreation and Leisure Services coordinator for Kissimmee. “Don’t try to tell them what they’re interested in. Let them help you decide what they’re interested in.”

Paul, a native Osceola resident, has been working in parks and recreation services for nearly 17 years, overseeing numerous services in both Kissimmee and St. Cloud, and now manages the Chambers Park Community Center and is responsible for all adult and teen recreational programming citywide.  

The Kissimmee Teen Advisory Group (KTAG) just held its first meeting on Sept. 10, and though it marks a first for the city, Paul has experience in youth led groups having supervised the creation of Chambers Park’s own teen advisory and volunteer group, GUESS.

It’s the success of that first group that makes Paul confident in the future responses of the community.

“I’ve got a good feeling about the group of kids that we have and I think that it’s only going to get better,” said Paul. “We have a really good foundation so far.”

Student leader positions within KTAG haven’t been decided yet, but after bringing out teens from five local schools – Denn John Middle, Neptune Middle, Kissimmee Middle, Osceola High, and Zenith – the teens have already agreed on two community causes – an anti-bullying campaign for schools and a proposed teen pool party.

Having grown up in a “rough” area, Paul believed it is essential for teenagers to have a resource like KTAG that fosters a true sense of involvement and opportunity, and cites her own youth as her career motivator.

“I saw so much stuff taking place in my neighborhood because there was no where for kids to hangout,” said Paul. “So when I got the opportunity to get a job where I could make sure that kids could have somewhere safe to go, somewhere that they could go where no one could harm them, but they could go to just have fun, I jumped on it.”

KTAG meetings are from 5 to 6 p.m. the second Monday of each month at the Kissimmee Civic Center. The next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 8, and is open to any and all interested teens throughout Osceola.

“I want to give teenagers a voice,” says Paul. “When kids feel strongly about something and feel like what they say counts, they’ll work hard for it.”

For more information about KTAG, programs at Chambers Park, or volunteering, contact Jamie Paul at 407-518-2599 or email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .