GONZALES — City of Gonzales has received the 2026 Helen Putnam Award for Excellence from the League of California Cities for its work involving local youth in the vision and development of the Dennis and Janice Caprara Community Center.
Gonzales was one of 12 cities honored statewide, selected from 161 submissions. The City received the Ruth Vreeland Award for Engaging Youth in City Government, a category of the Helen Putnam Award for Excellence, highlighting California city programs that involve local youth in helping shape their communities.
“This award belongs to the young people of Gonzales who spoke up about what they needed in their community and stayed involved in making that vision a reality,” said Gonzales Mayor Jose Rios. “The Community Center is an example of what can happen when we give young people a meaningful voice and an opportunity to help shape the future of their city.”
The idea for a dedicated space for Gonzales youth grew out of the City’s longstanding commitment to involving young people in local government. Through the Gonzales Youth Council, youth commissioners participate alongside elected and appointed leaders, attend City Council and School Board meetings, provide input on issues affecting young residents and help identify priorities for the community.
In 2015, a dedicated youth space emerged as one of those priorities. Young people helped articulate the need for a safe place to gather, study, participate in programs and connect with one another. Youth commissioners remained involved as the idea developed into what is now the Dennis and Janice Caprara Community Center.
The first phase of the Community Center opened in January 2026 and includes a Teen Innovation Center, courtyard, amphitheater and the Gonzales branch of Monterey County Free Libraries. The center provides young people with access to technology, educational resources, recreation and youth development programs while creating a new gathering place for the broader community.
“The most meaningful part of this recognition is that it validates something Gonzales has believed for many years: young people should not simply be asked what they think; they should have a real role in shaping their community,” said City Manager Carmen Gil. “Our youth helped identify a need, advocated for it and stayed engaged as an idea became a place they can now walk into and use.”
Established in 1982, the Helen Putnam Award for Excellence recognizes outstanding achievements by California cities that improve the quality of life in their communities and provide more effective services. Learn more at calcities.org.
