Texas Youth and Government

A PROPOSAL THAT MAKES THE SAT AND ACT OPTIONAL AND FREE FOR ALL TEXAN STUDENTS

Austin, TX – A proposal by Olivia Hundley and Mariam Oyejide would make the SAT and the ACT completely optional for all students. If students decide to take either test, all study materials and the test itself will be funded by the state. The ACT and SAT are standardized tests that most students in Texas are required to take.

Standardized tests are designed to be interpreted in a specific, standard way to evaluate all testers consistently. Both ACT and SAT scores are used by colleges and scholarship programs. The SAT is offered seven times a year and is an extremely important event in high schools, with many students cramming for multiple months before their test. The SAT and ACT were created to measure students’ ability and readiness for college and to give colleges one standard point of data to compare applicants.

Hundley and Oyejide propose that since the use of ACT and SAT scores are gradually becoming obsolete, it is no longer useful for all high schoolers to take these tests, spend time and resources studying for them and taking them and pay up to hundreds of dollars just for colleges to not use them.

This proposal will make the SAT and ACT optional for all students in Texas. Suppose a student chooses to take either test. In that case, federal funding will be allocated to pay any and all fees the student would need to pay, making everything free.

The SAT requires a registration fee to take the test and many other additional fees for certain services, like a late registration fee and score report fees. International testers must also pay a regional fee. The fees will fluctuate over time, but as of 2022, the registration fee is $60. There are fee waivers available to eligible low-income 11th and 12 graders and cover two SAT registrations, six SAT Subject Test registrations, all score report fees, and waived application fees at colleges.

The ACT no writing test fee is $55, and the ACT test with writing fee is $70. Like the SAT, the ACT also has late registration fees, test date change fees, and test center change fees. The ACT has fee waivers available to all 11th and 12th-grade students to take the test for free.

 Recently, colleges have been putting less and less emphasis on SAT and ACT scores, giving more attention to the GPA of their applicants to gauge their academic ability. The validity of standardized testing has been a very controversial debate for many years. Some say that the tests don’t actually show students’ abilities and that it’s impossible to make a standard test for all testers. In contrast, others argue that standardized testing is the only way to gather consistent student data.

Written by: Edy Wang, LASA

A Newbie’s Glimpse into this Year’s Texas YG States Conference

Participating in the Texas Youth and Government State Conference for the first time is an unforgettable experience. Sparked by the sense of intensity during the debates at the House, the breathtaking sight of the pink granite of the state capital, and the sweet taste of success at the awards ceremony. The overall feeling may be intense and exhausting, but the sense of accomplishment and fulfillment makes it undeniably worthwhile. As the years pass, the initial intense emotions gradually become a part of a normal YG experience. The surprise and awe from the first year eventually transform into a sense of familiarity. The state conferences focus on the seniors departing the program and the sophomores and juniors leveling up. However, the freshman experience is incredibly significant. Especially this year with the numerous changes and the brand-new hotel.

For Ella Costabile, a first-time member of Mock Trial, the experience of starting with a new case was overwhelming. She expressed, “Understanding the amount of time it took to learn the ins and outs of a case, even as a witness, was very overwhelming.” However, this sense of being overwhelmed is common among first-time YG participants, regardless of the section they’re involved in. With practice, the initial overwhelming feeling gradually becomes a new normal.

After the first taste of YG at districts, the difficulty at states can come as a surprise. Kaavya Venkat, a first-year mock trial student, shared her experience, saying, “States was quite a change from my district’s experience. At districts, I had an easier witness, but now at states, I have to be an ‘expert level witness’ practically slandered on the cross.” Costabile shared a similar sentiment: “The teams I faced at states were much harder than the ones at districts.” Despite the challenges, the increased difficulty proved beneficial for their growth. Venkat mentioned, “This level of difficulty was actually very helpful. I feel like I’ve become a better witness through it.”

The best change these newbies got to experience this year was the resort. Akash Bose, a first-year legislative student, recalls enjoying the facilities, “I loved all the amenities this hotel had. The waterpark was the best part of it all.” This change added a new dimension to the overall experience, providing participants with a comfortable and enjoyable environment after an exhausting day at the Capitol or Austin Community College. In the end, while the Texas Youth and Government State Conference may be intense and demanding, the memories created and the personal growth achieved by the participants, particularly the freshmen, make it a truly invaluable and unforgettable experience.

By: Medha Rapuri

YG Media Makes an Effort to Improve the Section’s Organization and Efficiency

When you hear the words “Youth and Government,” your mind likely jumps to the concept of law and the idea of it being carried out (for example, the Legislative or Judicial Branch). However, YG extends beyond this. The YMCA program encompasses not only the process of law but also the coverage of it.

This is where Media comes in. Media is a section in YG that focuses on accurately providing accounts of events occurring in and around the program. In other words, Media equals journalism. Although still small, the branch has garnered traction despite not being very well-known to participants in YG and those from outside the program.   

For example, Sophomore Medha Rapuri from Greenhill School is, like many others, a first-year Media delegate. Rapuri had made the switch over to Media after having participated in the Legislative branch Freshman year. Rapuri expresses that her motivation to join the section was sparked by the desire to be an “observer rather than a participant.” After having the last media member in her section graduate last year, Rapuri believed this year was the “perfect time to transition.”

Fellow Media delegate and first-year YG member Elaine Engel states that her motivation to join Media was prompted by being a part of her “school’s newspaper staff.” After learning about the YG press corp, Engel started to desire a “taste of what being a journalist in the capital” is like.

Despite the section’s success in carrying out what it had intended, there was still a potential to improve the branch. Therefore, as of the 2024 TXYG State Conference, the department has undergone some small but impactful changes. Due to the overall disorganization and inefficiency of the section last year and the years prior, many (both delegates and adults alike) believe Media has been overdue for some refurbishing.

Rapuri states that the state conference was “quite organized” this year. “I thought the assignments were well explained, and I was able to understand everything,” Rapuri expresses. “This [state conference] was a lot better than my experience at districts as everything was new to me.”

According to Engel, the “independence and creativeness” that Media allows is especially enjoyable. Essentially, the choice to continue the overall free as well as “self-determined and self-driven” nature of Media has been a benefit to, like Engel, many Media delegates.

Although Media has been notoriously under-appreciated and, for the most part, flown under the radar for many, the changes the section has started to recently implement truly harbors the potential to expand Media both as a section and a tool for others.

Written by: Eliza Pepito, Garland High School

Inspirational insight into the perspective of trial court judges.

The Texas Youth and Government judicial branch has had immense success over the past couple of years, with Texas consistently being recognized for having the best trial and appellate court teams at the national level. Yet, as the judicial branch gathers in the State Capitol, we often overlook one crucial section of the Youth and Government Trial Court: Judges.

In trial court, a trial would not be complete without the delegates who portray the honorable judge. In the halls of the capitol, the judges prepare their scripts and review the rules of evidence in their heads before each round. They move from trial to trial independently, with no team to debrief with. Watching the judges float through the halls in their robes, you may wonder what it’s like for them. Is it isolating? Is it empowering? What do you get out of being a judge?

Firstly, is being a judge isolating? No, not entirely. According to Anthony Pham, from District 5, “I’ve gained new friends from other teams that I probably would have never met thanks to YG.” Lilia Marshall, a delegate from District 2, looks forward to seeing how teams argue the case. “I’ve really enjoyed seeing all the cases and ideas that people bring to the table and seeing how people have interpreted the case in all different ways and have used the evidence,” she exclaims. Marshall also finds that it’s rewarding to watch trial court rookies, aka freshmen and sophomores, navigate their way through the trial and gain their confidence and skill set, and she’s happy to be a part of that process.

Judges Chloe Hawkins and Alana Arteaga from District 5 hold similar sentiments. The two delegates are competing as judges for the first time, as they were previously nationally recognized trial court attorneys. Hawkins explains that nationals set her up to be a judge and impacted how she sees arguments made in the courtroom, saying, “It was isolating at first because you don’t have that companionship that you have with a team, getting to be on the other side makes up for it as you help teams learn and grow and become better at what they do, but also making sure teams have an equal chance to compete well.” Arteaga feels similarly, stating, “I became a judge because I wanted to see a new perspective of the courtroom, and I really wanted to help teams grow and be a part of their journey.”

While judges may help other teams grow as trial court delegates, they also experience self-growth. Arteaga describes the experience: “You’re just navigating through the capitol by yourself, and you’re having to grow by yourself.” With judging, you experience a type of control and empowerment unique compared to the empowerment you feel as an attorney or witness. Tiffini Edwards, from District 5, accurately compares the role of a judge to a referee in a sports game, saying, “I like being a judge because I like being able to rule on objections. I like knowing that I’m kind of the referee of the game. It’s a fun experience being a judge.”

Written by: Amarys Rodriguez

As Texas Youth & Government’s 2024 State Conference reels to a start, swarms of future legislatures, senators, representatives, and various others bring competitive spirit and their best to the Capitol. Among these revolutionary teenagers, Preston Lee, a candidate for Y&G governor, rises above, leading our youth with vigor and promises to be an active voice and force of change. Lee represents the efforts of fellow students to learn and execute democracy while encouraging others to step out of their comfort zones and see failure as a path to success. The young candidate captivates his audience with an engaging yet short speech, not just with mementos and encouragement but feasible ideas for future improvements in communication and connectivity within the organization.

Lee delves deep into plans of connectivity and communication within Youth & Government; his idea consists of creating a network, known as Y-check-ins, allowing all delegations and sections to have representation and an audible voice. The 17-year-old candidate emphasizes, “Because, without your voice and impact, who are we as Texas Youth & Government? The front-facing or the selfies are the most important because it is all about you. A small picture with a big impact. It represents our Y. That’s you, the people of Y&G, your voices and your stories.”

Lee makes it apparent that, if elected as governor, his focus will be on the experiences and relationships the vast participants of Y&G could share and the new perspective all members could gain. He concludes his eloquent speech with a few words of affirmation urging his fellow peers to vote for proper representation, “Imagine this: if a BeReal can bring global effect in 120 milliseconds, imagine the change and purpose each one of you can have by voting for me with just one vote. A vote for Lee, is a vote for me”. The young candidate’s invigorating speech illustrates his innate ability to unify Youth & Government. As a result, he gets 1000 program members to reiterate his slogan: A vote for Lee is a vote for me. During an interview with the governor candidate, Lee identifies his goal as governor to “Advocate and be a representative for the students across Y&G” and explains his focus on communication and connectivity in Y&G as “Those have been the two things that have really stood as a stepping stone through my journey in Y&G. Connection has been something so impactful for me, because when I started the program in 6th grade the ability to connect, the ability to communicate, those two important things have carried me through”.

Although Lee recognizes the ferocity of his competition, the young candidate remains confident in his skill, stating, “The sole thing that distinguishes me from other candidates, respectfully, is my experience.” The young man realizes his involvement within the organization has been six whole years, six state conferences, and six wonderful opportunities to progress, connect, and improve an expanding community.

Written by: Amina Ahmed, Foy H Moody High School