'That Viking Thing' Youth Council

Student members of That Viking Thing youth leadership council pose with Mayor Richard Strick, Clerk-Treasurer Christi McElhaney, and Huntington City Councilmembers.
Members of “That Viking Thing” youth advisory council were sworn in on September 30, 2025.

Faculty and staff from Huntington North High School have selected four Viking juniors to serve as student representatives for the third year of the Mayor’s Youth Council. Adopting the moniker “That Viking Thing,” the student group will focus on leadership training and development while representing their peers at the local level. (Historically, the Old Norse word for “thing” referred to democratic assemblies where political decisions were made and disputes settled.)

That Viking Thing seeks to increase civic engagement among Huntington North Viking students, teach them about local government, and train the next generation of leaders. Focus areas include budget and project management, public speaking, community relations, economic development, leadership, and organizational operations. The program aims to bring a youth voice to city operations. We look forward to this partnership and are excited to see what these students will achieve.

Selected for the 2025–26 “That Viking Thing” Program:

  • Graden Fields
  • Alice Friesen
  • Jacklyn Ellet
  • Libby Couch