LAKEVILLE —  Lakeville resident Sofie De Coste, a school choice student at Carver Middle High School, is one of 60 young people from across the state of Massachusetts chosen to advise Governor Maura Healey on key issues such as civic engagement, climate change and education.

De Coste, who moved to Lakeville in 2016, said: “I am truly grateful for the doors that the governor has opened for council members like myself.”

In regards to working with her fellow council members, she added: “I feel confident that as a council we’ll be able to use our experiences to advise the governor to take the actions that are in the best interest to our peers.”

De Coste is now a member of the The Youth Advisory Council, which was established to advise Governor Maura Healey, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll and the entire Healey administration on critical issues impacting Massachusetts like housing, mental health and youth violence. 

The Council is made up of 60 young people, ranging ages 16-21, and has “geographic, racial and gender diversity”, the administration stated.

Members speak a total of 14 different languages and represent the LGBTQ+ community. 

Those elected will serve a two-year appointment. 

“Every day, our administration is making policy decisions that have a significant impact on the lives of young people for generations to come. Now, through this advisory council, they will have a direct say in their futures” said Governor Healey. 

Council members were sworn-in by the Governor on March 25. 

As a council member, De Coste would like to focus on education. She said: “I believe in expanding accessible higher education,” and “supporting lower income students as much as we can.”

Her philosophy is to provide support to the youth in the ways that they need, and “let them take it from there,” she said. 

De Coste decided to apply for the program after her experience in the American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) Girls Nation program, whose objective is to give students entering their senior year insight as to how the federal government works. 

There, she worked with other representatives from all over the country. On account of her experience, she said: “I knew that I could bring a unique and diverse perspective to the council.”

On account of her experience, she said: “I knew that I could bring a unique and diverse perspective to the council.” 

Political activism has been important to her for a very long time, she said, largely because she and her family have been on the receiving end of racial discrimination.

“Instead of taking a resentful attitude towards it, I wanted to take a proactive mentality towards it,” she revealed.

De Coste has already been accepted to Bridgewater State University and plans to major in political science with a concentration in legal studies.

On the council, she’d also like to address racial and cultural issues in Massachusetts. 

“It’s a common misconception that racial issues aren’t as prevalent as they used to be. Having gone through multiple different school systems, however, I can definitely say that it is relevant. I want to bring that to the governor’s attention to see what solutions we can make to mitigate racial and cultural issues.”

De Coste described being sworn-in by the governor as “an exhilarating experience,” as well as a sentimental one.

“My dad is a military veteran and before being sworn-in, he told me how he was sworn-in by the governor in his days,” she revealed. “He was on those steps, so I was stepping into my dad’s shoes which was a really proud moment for me and my family.”

What she is most excited about, she noted, is the opportunity to listen to the perspectives of other council members. “I’m excited to see how we can take all of those perspectives and improve at the state and embrace that collaborative mentality.”