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What a week our NJC 2017 participants had in the Windy City!  Check out the images and testimonials below to learn more about our delegates’ and volunteers’ experiences.  Texas YG has enjoyed a great summer attending national conferences and can’t wait for our more local District and State Conferences to come!  Program registration for 2017-2018 opens August 24.  Mark your calendars!

Hi from your Texas YG NJC delegates!  NJC kicked off last night with an opening ceremony that featured a Chicago-style improv show and Houston delegates Hannah and Ashley Kenison sharing the thought for the day. Students have now launched into their rounds of trials and hearings.  Delegates compete from 9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. today and from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. tomorrow.  We are proud of their hard work and dedication!  Our appellate court delegates are showing off their argumentation skills at the Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse while our trial court students practice the art of persuasion at the Chicago Bar Association. Stay tuned for more pictures and competition results tomorrow!  In the meantime, read on to learn more about the case at the center of the trial competition that our students know inside and out.  Student attorneys must be prepared to argue on behalf of either side.

Ricki Jones v. Metro City

(Adapted by the YMCA from a mock trial case created by the D.C. Street Law Project at Georgetown University Law Center)

The plaintiff: Ricki Jones, parent of Samuel Jones, is suing Metro City.  Samuel had leukemia and passed away on September 16, 2015 at the age of 24 after he drank Metro City tap water containing the parasite Pindia and contracted pindiatosis.  Metro City had been aware of the presence of Pindia in its tap water and its relationship to the city’s deteriorating pipes since October 2012.  Pindia levels reached the federal minimum health risk threshold of 300 per gallon of water in June 2015, prompting the Federal Water Safety Advisory to step in.  Pindia levels stabilized at 400 per gallon of water in August 2015, a level safe for general public consumption but potentially risky for people with compromised immune systems such as Samuel.  By September 15, 2015, Pindia levels had dropped to 278 per gallon of water as a result of the city’s chlorine flushing treatments.  Ricki Jones seeks slightly over $3 million in compensatory damages.

The defendant: Metro City complied with Federal Water Safety Advisory regulations, issuing a boil water advisory to residents in June 2015 and publicizing information about Pindia levels in a local newspaper.  The City Council also took the additional step of sending an extra notice about the Pindia levels to residents.  Metro City argues it should not be held strictly liable, one claim in Ricki Jones’ suit, because Pindia concentration never became unreasonably dangerous.  It also rejects Ricki Jones’ claim of negligence, arguing it heeded Federal Water Safety Advisory protocol to alert residents to the presence of Pindia and took reasonable measures to ensure public safety.

The witnesses: The plaintiff will testify and also calls Metro City Public Utilities Department staff member and Nationalists Advocating Good Government founder Alex Foster and oncology specialist Dr. Pat Dawes.  The defendant calls Metro City Council chair Chris Baird, Samuel Jones’ volunteer peer counselor Tyler Johnson, and Metro City Research Institute parasitologist Dr. Hunter Williams.

What do you make of this case?  We’re excited to see how our students tackle it!

Between cheering on Jared Bouloy’s and Keilan Lewis’ passing proposals at the Washburn General Assembly and rooting for Youth Governor Sharif Long and pro intent speaker Noelle Mitchell at Thursday afternoon’s Plenary Session (livestream here http://ustre.am/1wFY7), students had a chance to take advantage of the beautiful and historic location of the Blue Ridge Assembly.  Some delegates participated in a trip to the Biltmore, the private estate built by George Washington Vanderbilt II near Asheville, NC in the late 19th century.  Designed by Richard Morris Hunt, the house is considered a great example of American Chateauesque architecture and a testament to the Gilded Age.  Other delegates went on hikes in the area surrounding the Assembly or took well-deserved breaks from activities to relax.  Delegates have also been able to enjoy pizza together each night as part of their Delegation Meetings and participate in optional Morning Devotions, and they are looking forward to tonight’s Closing Fire Ceremony.  Thanks to all for a wonderful and successful CONA 2017!

Hello again from CONA!  We had a fantastic Independence Day celebration here in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  Proposals written by seven of our students (Jessie Searles, Keilan Lewis, Dani Smith, Noelle Mitchell, Jared Bouloy, Anastasia Sotiropoulos, and Youth Governor Sharif Long) were heard and debated in Third Committee Hearings.  We are so proud of all of our students for devoting their Fourth of July holiday to studying and deliberating on proposals striving to sustain and improve our great country.  We are especially excited that Jared Bouloy’s, Keilan Lewis’, and Sharif Long’s proposals have continued to advance.  Jared Bouloy’s proposal on addressing sexual assault and rape and Keilan Lewis’ proposal seeking to reduce radicalization abroad are slated for discussion in the Washburn General Assembly which will take place today, Wednesday, from 8:00-11:30 AM CT and 5:45-8:00 PM CT.  Live-streaming is available at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/KwgTF7PnJ6e?utm_campaign=ustre.am&utm_source=ustre.am%2F1wH8W&utm_medium=social&utm_content=20170705061643.  Sharif Long’s proposal on addressing the pipeline between public schools and the juvenile criminal justice system has made it to the top and final hearing committee, the Plenary Session, which will be held Thursday from 7:40-11:30 AM CT and 12:30-3:00 PM CT.  Those interested in watching the Plenary Session as well as viewing the Heaton General Assembly can follow along at http://ustre.am/1wFY7. Congratulations are also in order for Abrianna Rhodes, Jonathan Forseth, Evan Vollbrecht, Jordan Clements, Anastasia Sotiropoulos, Jared Bouloy, and Noelle Mitchell, “intent speakers” who are guaranteed space to offer their pro/con positions during the final sessions.  We can’t wait to see what accomplishments and experiences the rest of CONA will bring!

Hello from the Blue Ridge Mountains!  Texas YG is thrilled to have kicked off the Conference on National Affairs (CONA) with our delegation of 25 outstanding students.  After training in Austin Friday night, the delegation arrived at the beautiful YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly in North Carolina on Saturday.  Delegates have come to CONA to present their thoughtful proposals describing social problems and outlining solutions on a variety of topics such as outsourcing and job creation, visa allocations, human trafficking, gender-specific healthcare concerns, and prison conditions. They had a chance to share these proposals with other attendees for the first time during Proposal Sharing Groups Saturday night.  On Sunday, delegates enjoyed the Opening Ceremony and took part in First Committee Hearings.  During each round of Committee Hearings, delegates engage in debate and discuss the pros and cons of their own and other delegates’ proposals, suggesting amendments to proposals as appropriate and following parliamentary procedure throughout.  They score one another’s proposals, and a specified number of the highest scoring proposals from each Committee Hearing advance to the next round.  All delegates gather on the final day of CONA to discuss the ten highest-ranked proposals in a Plenary Session.  First Committee Hearings wrapped up Monday morning, and delegates will participate in Second Committee Hearings Monday afternoon and evening. Texas YG is proud of all our delegates including Michael Brown, Jessie Searles, Sharif Long, and Jordan Clements who have respective conference leadership roles in Proposal Sharing Groups, Committee rounds, Conference Life Committee, and Round Tables. We are also celebrating our delegates whose proposals have advanced to the Second Committee Hearings: Jessie Searles, Dani Smith, Anastasia Sotiropoulos, Noelle Mitchell, Keilan Lewis, Jonathan Forseth, Sharif Long, and Jared Bouloy.  Delegates are looking forward to celebrating Independence Day tomorrow with Third Committee Hearings and a special holiday dinner and dance.  More to come later this week!