Standing on the Minnesota capitol steps are from L-R: Aurora Schelmeske, Chloe Blackburn and Livi Nesgoda. Photo courtesy of Emily Marshall
The YMCA, a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility, welcomed 1,550 students in grades eight through 12 to the Minnesota State Capitol January 9-12 for the YMCA Center for Youth Voice’s Youth in Government program. Among them were four local middle and high-school students from Cook County.
At the 66th Youth in Government session, the state’s largest hands-on civic education event, participants from 56 delegations took on roles as legislators, lobbyists, lawyers, judges, justices, and journalists and practiced open government without the confines of partisanship. Youth in Government brings together a variety of students from across the state to share their perspectives.
Andrew Hallberg (1st-year delegate) participated in Leadership Corps for eighth-graders, which is an introduction to Model Assembly and exposure to all the program areas. He spent the weekend creating bills, arguing court cases, writing media articles, and visiting all the program areas to get the best first experience at Model Assembly.
Livi Nesgoda, (3rd-year delegate and president of the local delegation) served in the Judicial Branch, where youth lawyers argue assigned cases in front of youth justices. She won her first two cases, won her argument for the third, but the judges ruled for the Appellant.
Aurora Schelmeske (3rd-year delegate) was in the National Issues Forum, where she prepared, presented, and discussed national issues with peers in a forum that is focused on positive debate. After presenting the first day, her proposal moved on to the second committee and was eventually passed in the General Assembly.
Chloe Blackburn (3rd-year delegate) spent her time in the Legislative Branch, where she wrote and debated bills. Her bill was passed in the House and the Senate.
There were over 400 bills debated by the Youth Legislature and its committees, including topics such as:
Homelessness in Minnesota
Education – testing, college tuition, school funding, the achievement gap
Government – change Electoral College, police reform and regulation
Health – medical marijuana and affordable healthcare
Transportation – helmet laws, funding for roads, and/or mass transit
Consumer Affairs – regulate weapons, net neutrality
Ecology – renewable energy, public lands
“Youth in Government helps students learn about current issues facing Minnesota,” said Emily Marshall, Executive Director of the Cook County YMCA. “They also learn to listen to each other while they share their own experiences, in an environment based on respect and with an emphasis on allowing all perspectives to be heard.”
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