YMCA Youth and Government hosted an awards night on March 14 for the 11 Palisades High School students who participated in the model legislature program that culminated in a four-night stay in Sacramento in February. During the ceremony at Aldersgate Retreat Center, each young woman spoke about the program’s impact..
“Y&G has opened me up to new experiences, such as engaging in debates, creating and voting for bills, speaking in front of senate and assembly houses and developing friendships,” said ninth grader Amber Perry.
Junior Tracy Weston said, “I wasn’t a great public speaker and I didn’t know much about politics. I participated in polling. We had sessions to learn what the program area entailed. At Sacramento [attended by 3,000 teens], we were required to poll 50 kids every day. Talking to 50 new people every day was a challenge. I was afraid of public speaking when I joined the program. It was challenging for me, but the program taught me to be open minded and more social.”
“I was promoted to party vice-chair,” said junior Yassi Badri. “I organized events, analyzed voter data and campaigned for my candidate. Although my candidate lost, I had learned about leadership, teamwork and communication, and that the journey to perusing your goals is much more valuable than the final destination.”
Contact: Palisades-Malibu YMCA advisor Ashley Russell (310) 454-5591 or visit ashleyrussell@ymcala.org.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.
