This year students in the YMCA Youth and Government (Y&G) program competed in the High School & Middle School Youth and Government State Conferences held in Austin, TX. The mission of the Youth & Government program is to help teenagers become responsible citizens and future leaders of our nation. Delegates practice democracy through mock committee meetings, debating and voting on bills, participating in mock trial court or appellate court and specializing in Legislative, Judicial, Media and State of Affairs forums.
There were 122 teen delegates present at the conference and 19 were individually recognized for outstanding performance. These awards included:
- High School Outstanding Statesman (Senate): Omi Joshi
- High School Distinguished Delegate (Hyde House): Sydnei Sisney
- High School Outstanding Club Leaders
- Alief Early College High School: Roberto Albarran
- Bob Hope School: America Ochoa
- First Baptist Christian Academy: Addison Hobbes
- Foster High School: Anna Kate Beck
- Frassati Catholic School: Elizabeth LeCompte
- Glenda Dawson High School: Elias Efendi
- Highlands Latin Cottage School: Kaidom Boring
- YMCA of Greater Houston Virtual Club: Om Joshi
- Woodrow Wilson Early College High School: Jacob Wells
- High School Premier Delegation: Glenda Dawson High School led by Lt. Gov. Ryan Lee
- High School Appeals Court National Qualifiers: Julia Xiao and Kathy Xie
- Middle School Distinguished Delegate (State Affairs Forum): Giovanni Garcia
- Middle School Outstanding Delegate (State Affairs Forum): Mahi Patel
- Middle School Outstanding Club Leader
- Gentry Junior High School: Arianna Tello
- Middle School Premier Delegation: Gentry Junior High School led by club advisor Sarah Capestani
Ethan Chen was selected to serve as Secretary of State for the 2024-2025 Elected Officers.
In addition, students were able to compete in national competitions based off their performance at the State Conference: the YMCA Youth Conference on National Affairs (CONA) and the YMCA National Judicial Competition (NJC). Conferences are held during the summer months. The students selected are listed below:
- Conference on National Affairs Representatives: Ethan Chen, David Ci and Dakarai Wiltz
- National Judicial Competition Representatives
- Glenda Dawson High School Appellate Team: Julia Xiao and Kathy Xie
If you’d like to get involved with the Y Teen Life program or the Youth & Government program, please contact Alex McAdams at Alexander.McAdams@ymcahouston.org.