Shady Side Academy junior Kabeer Chopra is Fox Chapel’s latest junior council member.

Mayor Alex Scott III swore in Chopra on Sept. 16 after council unanimously voted to appoint him.

“I thought it would be a great experience because I feel like I’m doing something for this community that’s different than what I already do,” said Chopra, 16, of Fox Chapel. “I hope to learn how a community government works. I feel I’m not very knowledgeable about that topic.”

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 and help youths have a voice in their municipality.

Chopra shook hands and took photos with the elected leaders at the meeting and took a seat next to Councilwoman Sarah Hanna.

“It felt good,” Chopra said of his first governmental action. “I’ve never really experienced something similar to this.”

Hanna and Councilman Brad Harrison recommended Chopra’s appointment.

Harrison said Chopra had a very impressive resume, including being involved in multiple sports and launching a nonprofit.

“He seems great,” Harrison said. “Very dedicated to the community. … It’s pretty cool that he’s giving his time to also do this.”

Last year, Chopra founded Green Bridge 412, a free recycling service for residents. He collects plastic bags, glass and batteries from people who sign up for the service and takes the items to proper disposal sites.

“The mission statement is to close the recycling gap in the community,” Chopra said. “It’s important because I’ve always been passionate about caring for the environment. It’s a service that seems like a good idea.”

Chopra also recently launched a recycling club at the academy.

He was selected out of about three candidates, all from Shady Side Academy.

Harrison said no one from Fox Chapel Area School District applied.

“It is nice with Shady Side being in Fox Chapel Borough that we do have a Shady Side student,” Harrison said. “We always spread the word to both high schools. Fox Chapel (Area) High School is technically in O’Hara Township. It’s a two-year term. We would like to get another Fox Chapel Area High School student next year. I think it’s good when we have both schools represented.”

Chopra joins Shady Side seniors Avery Litwin and Ethan Kolek, who are in their second year of two-year terms on junior council. They were appointed as juniors August 2023.

Both said they were excited to work with Chopra.

“It’s nice that we’re all from Shady Side,” Kolek said. “I think that will make things more connected and cohesive because we’re able to see each other more often outside of council.”

Litwin said she has learned a lot about local government in the past year.

“I didn’t realize there was so much structure to these meetings and so many different rules that the borough council people and also residents have to follow,” she said. “It’s interesting to learn about the legal side of things.”

Kolek echoed those comments and believes junior council will broaden Chopra’s understanding of how local government works.

“I was able to learn there’s a lot more to government than politics,” he said. “There’s a lot of engineering. There’s a lot of business. There’s a lot of law. All of that needs to work together. It’s not just debating and writing bills and stuff.”

Harrison said he has noticed a difference in Litwin and Kolek since they were appointed last year.

“I’ve noticed them being more involved,” Harrison said. “The first couple meetings (they were) a little more on the quiet side. As they get more familiar with the process, see things repeat from meeting to meeting, they’ve all not been afraid to speak up which is great.”

Students from Shady Side Academy and Fox Chapel Area interested in becoming junior council members can contact the borough office at 412-963-1100.

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