Area student named new PA Youth Commissioner

Arielle Biggs, a Youth Leadership Advisory Board (YLAB) Student Ambassador and student at East Stroudsburg North High School, has been selected as Pennsylvania’s next PA Youth Commissioner. She will be officially sworn into this statewide leadership role on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at Judge Jamie Levy’s office, located at District Court 43-4-01, 1155 Red Fox Road in East Stroudsburg.

The PA Youth Commissioner serves as a voice for young people across the Commonwealth — advising state leaders on youth priorities, elevating youth perspectives in civic and service initiatives, and helping to shape policies and programs that impact young people. In this role, Biggs will collaborate with state partners and community organizations to strengthen youth engagement, service-learning, and leadership development across Pennsylvania in partnership with PennSERVE.

Her appointment is the result of her outstanding leadership and reflection demonstrated through Youth Infusion’s F.A.C.E.S. (Focused Action & Change through Education & Service) Curriculum, a core component of the Youth Leadership Advisory Board (YLAB) Program. Biggs earned this opportunity after winning the Reflections Essay benchmark, where she thoughtfully examined her service-learning experience and its impact. Through this reflection, she was identified and selected for the PA Youth Commissioner role via PennSERVE.

She will assume this role as Shayna Canty, former PA Youth Commissioner, transitions into her next chapter as a future Community Agency Commissioner for PennSERVE, continuing a strong legacy of leadership and service at the state level.

As a YLAB Student Ambassador, Biggs has served as a leader, role model, and advocate for her peers — representing the program at community events, supporting fellow students, participating in leadership development and teen Mental Health First Aid training, and upholding the values of the F.A.C.E.S. Curriculum. Her work reflects the mission of Youth Infusion to connect young people to their communities and empower them to create meaningful change.

Her growth as a leader was on display when she took the stage at the NEPA Youth-Led Leadership Conference, where she shared her journey and advocacy efforts to improve communication between school administrators and students. By speaking up for herself and her peers, Biggs demonstrated the impact of youth voice and it was heard.

“Arielle represents everything we hope to cultivate through the Youth Leadership Advisory Board Program,” said Elika Almeida, Executive Director of Youth Infusion. “She found her voice, used it with purpose, and created change — not just for herself, but for her peers and her school community. Her appointment as PA Youth Commissioner is a powerful reminder that when we invest in young people and truly listen to them, they rise as leaders and changemakers.”

Youth Infusion proudly congratulates Arielle Biggs on this well-deserved achievement and looks forward to supporting her continued impact as she represents youth across Pennsylvania with courage, compassion, and conviction.

Youth Infusion is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering young people through service-learning, leadership development, mental health education, and civic engagement. Through programs like the Youth Leadership Advisory Board (YLAB) and the F.A.C.E.S. Curriculum, Youth Infusion amplifies youth voice and connects young people to their communities to drive positive change.