Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School students Emma Hallbilsback and Delmont Araujo were sworn in on Friday by Gov. Deval Patrick to serve on the Governor’s Statewide Youth Council. They will hold their positions for a two-year term.

Emma and Delmont were two of 28 new council members, two from each of the commonwealth’s 14 counties, sworn in at a state house ceremony. The youth council was established in April 2008, encouraging young people to become civically engaged in their communities and to help tackle the state’s biggest challenges by assuming leadership roles.

Members, ranging from ages 14 to 20, were selected by an application review committee for their excellence in leadership and their outstanding potential to create change in their communities.

The Youth Council will hold formal bimonthly sessions, focusing on the governor’s agenda in education, economic development, civic engagement and community outreach. Members advise the Governor as representatives of all Massachusetts youth. Youth council members also gather independently to share what they see in their communities and talk about how state government can partner with local communities to create solutions. The inaugural class of the youth council worked with the administration to advocate for the passage of several important policy issues, including the historic antibullying legislation of 2010.