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By Heather Costello

The Hyde Senate debated intensely on Brent Baldwin’s, a delegate from the Christian Life Preparatory School delegation, bill that if passed would change the legal drinking age in Texas to 16.  Although, the bill didn’t pass with a 20-16 vote at the end of the secession. Proponent speaker used statistical evidence to support their bill while opponent speaker took to emotional stories to state their chase.

“I got into school one day and a friend of mine loss consciousness followed by choking on his own vomit later to be found out he had extreme alcohol poisoning,”  Emily Baker, Keller High School delegation, said.

Baldwin originally planned on writing a bill that proposed to raise the drinking age to 25. To get a true debate with his other delegates, Baldwin chose to lower the age to the controversial age to 16.

“At first I was not for the age being lowered to 16, but after doing research my opinion changed for the age limit being lower after I conducted more research,” Baldwin said.

In his opening argument, Baldwin urged people to vote for his bill because currently teens who drink that are underage do it to rebel against their parents or to break that law to be considered cool. If it was not illegal to do so, the amount of kids drinking would go down. Baldwin used a 2014 New York Time article written by Jack Healy that stated “Criminal marijuana cases in Colorado plunged by 65 percent in 2013, the first full year of legalization for personal recreational use.” Baldwin hopes the same will happen with DUI’s

“In countries that have a low drink age, majority of their DUI’s are from the ages of 35-40, because they learn how to drink responsibly” Baldwin said. 60-70%

It was not just drinking the alcohol that was being questioned, amendments were added to teach alcohol safety in all high schools instead of the highly-adopted rule of teaching alcohol abstinence. Also, opponent speakers started to connect the age of 16 with driving

Proponent speakers argued that in European countries that have a lower drinking age do not have any serious replication due to the lower drinking age. It was over 30 minutes of back and forth of debating on this issue, with good arguments from both sides. It was in the specifics of the bill that had the most effect of whether it was going to be passed or not.

“This bill prohibits people under the age of 16; 13, 14, or, 15 are completely off limits of alcohol. Some people for some reason like to have alcohol that is related to their religion and, since that violates the first amendment to the constitution, that violated the freedom of religion, and because they don’t have freedom of religion and can’t express themselves even if there is alcohol involved, in a small amounts,” Jonathan Wallace , delegate from the -Rockwall-Heath High School delegation said.

By: Grayson Porter

Being a part of Youth and Government, as a delegate and an officer, has provided me with some of the best times of my life. From learning how to hone my skills in journalism or learning how to socialize in professional settings, YG has taught me an array of skills I can use in my future.

My freshman year I joined Print Media to spend time with friends and to meet people outside of my school. I was intimidated by the idea of failure my first year, but regardless I was able to push past my fear and help contribute to my first “Golden Gavel” newspaper. I was so proud of my 150-word article on the bottom of the last page that I cut it out and hung it in my room. As my skills in writing grew, I slowly found myself working my way up the Print Media ladder – eventually earning the title of Print Editor.

Using the tools and skills I have learned through my administrators and peers, I have been pleased and honored to be the student leader in charge of Print Media. With the help of the great media staff and administrators, I am delighted with our output of articles this 2017 Texas YG conference. Even while the Print Media department has changed through the years, so has media itself and so have I. As this program has grown, I have grown right along side with it. I have seen myself develop my own writing style and a way for me to properly explain my views.

Youth and Government has impacted me, and the program has helped me find my love of journalism and of news. If I can leave the program with one thing, I would want to leave it with the knowledge that media is not disappearing. While journalism practices and the structure of Youth and Government media may change, the distribution of news is something that will never change.

I will forever be grateful for the connections I have made during my time at these conferences, and I will continue to uphold my Y-core values for the remainder of my life.

By: Chloe Opelt

Vegetarians, vegans, pescatarians, and gluten-free dieters are often unaccounted for in today’s society because of their unique eating habits. The diets these groups of people follow can be “expensive, and hard to acquire, much more so than what would be considered a ‘normal meal’,” according to Katie Horton.

Briana Taylor from the Hays High School delegation is a pescatarian, who had something to say about the situations she sometimes find herself in because of her specific diet. When asked about her diet choices, she stated that “it can be difficult to find the right things at times, but usually if I go out to eat, I can manage.” Taylor stated that she usually brings her lunch from home because she “can’t depend on other people or places” to have what she needs in a meal. When asked why she is a pescatarian, Taylor stated that “it’s much healthier, and it breaks my heart to kill animals for our consumption when there are alternatives that do not involve hurting animals.” Taylor minimizes the amount of animals sacrificed for her diet, and she has been a pescatarian for multiple years.

Katie Horton, also being from the Hays High School delegation, has no diet specifics, but was a vegetarian for about a year. Horton claimed that “it is very difficult to keep up with a diet like this in general.” Horton did not continue with the diet because it “got expensive” and her “family doesn’t support it.” Horton said “I like the idea that I wasn’t personally hurting any animals, but the facts are, that no matter what I do, animal products will be made regardless.” Horton didn’t plan on going back to a limitless diet, but managed to do so somehow. Horton believes that recently, “society has become more aware of the diet specifications of some people.” Progress has been made, as well as the exposure and attention the subject gets, but “it still isn’t enough to make sure everyone is accounted for in every situation. 

The diets found in the general public aren’t unheard of, but commonly misinterpreted. Public knowledge of all the various eating habits of the common people could prove to be beneficial in the future. Vegetarians, vegans, pescatarians, and gluten-free dieters are often unaccounted for, which then in turn can exclude this group of people from various situations such as eating out in social settings, and deprivation of variety.

By: Karxyriah Ashley

Duncanville High School

Oak Cliff Delegation

Tonight was a special night for the delegates who attended the Friday Night Social. All over the lobby students got to hang out, sing, dance, and play board games. They even got to do themed photoshoots. One theme was the 70s-era themed in honor of the 70th anniversary of Youth and Government. But in addition to all the fun and entertainment, there was a note of poignant seriousness in the evening.

An open mic night was held in the Grand Ballroom where students got the opportunity to showcase their talent and passion with everyone. Delegates went up to sing their favorite songs, do stand-up comedy, or go up with their delegation and perform. Some people even got to go up and wish their friends “happy birthday.”

One act caught the hearts of everyone in the room. Niara Pelton, a sophomore delegate, went up and voiced her thoughts on what’s going on in America in a poem titled “My America” that she had just written on the spot.

This poem was inspired by recent political events happening in America and how they affect her life. Considering she has a little brother, she was shocked by pictures on the police brutality of black males.

In Pelton’s poem she states, “every time my brother leaves the house, I’m slightly confronted with worry”.

When Pelton learned that it wasn’t only black males being killed, and it was African-American females too, she strongly felt the need to help resolve this issue.

Although she loves reading and writing poetry, she also uses Youth and Government as a way to learn more about the legislative process, so she could go into the political field as a career. The Youth and Government program has given her a lot of experience and knowledge on how to write bills, so she can be able to write a bill on police brutality if she wanted to one day. When she grows up she “wants to be one of the people leading the change”.

When she grows up she “wants to be one of the people leading the change.”

One thing everyone can take from this young leader, is “never

By: Kathryn Horton

The students within Youth and Government are clearly passionate about what they do. Where is all this motivation coming from? There are a variety of places this drive comes from, but one thing stands out throughout that truly motivates delegates, making sure the future is bright.

The delegates here have big aspirations and YG is a way to aid them in the process of reaching these goals. Not only do they want to reach these goals for themselves, but also for the future of politics and YG members. Sharif Long, campaigning for governor and a part of the Dallas delegation, said that the future is a major part of his motivation and is why he incorporates a legacy into his campaign, because he “wants to make sure I leave the program better than I found it.”

Not only is the future the main motivation for delegates, but the future will be greatly impacted by them. YG teaches delegates how to promote change in the world and how to fight for what they believe in. “A lot of famous political figures in the future will have sprouted from this program,” said Hays delegate Chloe Opelt. The incoming politicians will use what they learned and experienced in YG and create a better tomorrow with this knowledge.

There are many motivations besides the future for delegates. The students attending the state conference are generally passionate about many things other than solely YG. For some people, this strong motivation  “comes from religion,”said Long and for others, their main motivation is to “make new experiences and get out of tight comfort zones,” said Keely Smith, first time attendee. 

Here at the Youth and Government state conference, every glance you take catches a glimpse of the hard work that YG entails. This work ethic is different from what some people are used to and can often change the way they work at school, extracurricular activities, or jobs. Opelt said that because of YG she has “become less of a procrastinator because of all of the strict deadlines I’ve had to meet for media.” These improved work ethics will help the delegates future as well as the future of those impacted by them.

By Kathryn Horton

Jordan Clements, Jack C. Hays High school delegate, was actively campaigning for governor of Youth and Government tonight in the grand ball room. What you don’t know about Clements is that he has a much larger goal. Since Clements was ten years old he has aspired to become President of the United States of America.

Clements’ long and challenging journey to become President starting with YG governor began with Youth and Government. It has aided Clements in getting his name out and has been what he believes to be his biggest preparation in running for president. Youth and Government has helped Clements grow dramatically as a person by becoming more outgoing, more friendly, and ultimately a better speaker; all of which he believes will be helpful in his presidential campaign.One of the first steps in Clement’s journey to become President began

One of the first steps in Clement’s journey to become President began with his campaign for YG governor. Clements wants to run for President for the same reason that he wants to run for governor of Texas Youth and Government, because he “see

By: Willow Dalehite

In stark contrast to the professionalism of the first day of the Youth and Government competition, the Friday Night Social offered many opportunities for delegates to make friends, get out of their comfort zone, and have fun. In the Grand Ballroom, a couple hundred delegates gathered to observe and participate in a karaoke in which students lip synced, sang along to songs, rapped, danced, and sang acapella.

Students of all kinds stood up in front of the crowd, in groups varying in size from a small crowd like the group Acafella, to solo acts like the acapella-singing Cassandra. Alicia belted out a rendition of “Burn”, and Keira Neal and Julie Apagya-Bonney even led the crowd in a rendition of the ABCs. “It’s an easy song and it’s very simple,” Keira said, “And you can do a beat to anything, you know?”

Despite the fact that many of the delegates met each other for the first time during this conference, Keira and other performers felt comfortable connecting and performing with new people. “It’s fun. Anything is fun. I just want to be interactive and participate,” she said.

The Social marks a continuation of the friendships forged during the competition, in which people can socialize with each other in all sorts of settings. Keira’s favorite aspect of the conference so far has been “getting to interact with new people and getting to see all the different faces from around Texas.”

Indeed, the different faces of the conference are expressed through varying tastes in music and dance. Performers in the Grand Ballroom raised their arms to the beat, danced as partners and spun each other around, called out to the audience, and encouraged all the delegates to dance, sway, or sing along. The smiling faces that could be seen in the room, though they came from different places, sang together, danced together and simply enjoyed each other’s company.

By; Nettie Comerford

Jackie Galvan, a junior at the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders in Austin, Texas, enjoys running and playing volleyball. Galvan also loves her dogs, “I like playing with my dogs, they are the best thing that has happened in my life. There names are Memphis and Petry, they’re Chihuahua Mixes,” Galvan said.

Galvan is very involved in her academics, especially in competitions like Youth and Government. “I’ve been doing Youth and Government for two years now. I like that I get to meet new people every time. I get to make new friends and make new relationships. It’s really great to see faces I saw in previous years,” Galvan said.

Although Galvan enjoys the competition she is unsure of whether or not government work is something she is interested in professionally. “I wasn’t too fancy of it at first but I’m starting to like it a little more. It’s pretty debatable to me, I’ll see what life gives me,” Galvan said.

Each year Galvan has participated as a delegate in State of Affairs. “I’m in State of Affairs, which means that we take an issue that is happening in Texas right now and we try to make a proposal as to how we as students are going to fix it,” Galvan said. This year Galvan participated within a group. “This year me and my partner Savannah Gonzales worked on trying to figure out how to fix the campus carry law that has been passed in August. It’s the one thing that has happened recently that has changed how I think about safety and how we protect our schools. Campus carry is very interesting to me, and I really like debating about this topic,” Galvan said. Galvan is worried about attending a campus that allows open carry. “I’m honestly scared to go to a university where there are no clear regulations for people who are going to be older than 21. My safety is important to me and I thought sharing my opinions with others could make a difference and this is a topic that has affected a lot of lives,” Galvan said.

Galvan was very excited to take a break from work to enjoy a night with her friends at the social event. “I’m really hoping to make new friends and also get to hang out with my friends from school.”

The importance of media in government 

By: Kyle Gehman

Over the past year, the media has been under scrutiny from the POTUS, Donald Trump, as well as other politicians and members of society. Journalists have been called ‘among the most dishonest humans being on earth’ by the President and booed by Americans while they perform their job. However, now more than ever, it is more of a duty than a job for the media to inform the people about the news.

During this age of journalism, new platforms are being used to reach audiences through the likes of social media outlets such as Snapchat, Twitter and Facebook. This has increased readership of the news but at the same time it has promoted the spread of fake news. In Washington D.C., a fake news story about a Hillary Clinton led sex-trafficking ring, drew a man to a pizza place with a semi-automatic weapon to self-investigate what was going on. Stories like these have misinformed the public and created more of a distrust in the media nationwide. So, why is it important for news agencies to continue reporting?

Despite increasing pressure, it is essential for journalists to continue their work because everyone deserves the truth. Controversial topics whether it is the election, a police shooting, or even a controversial YG bill must be covered because the public must understand what is going on around them, with world and national events and issues that are going to affect them, and they must be well informed. These stories and reports help inform the public so they can form opinions, and help show what may need to be fixed. Reporters are the watchdog for all of society. They look for injustice to expose. They investigate how Americans will be affected. They give insight so that others can learn.

Without the press, our elections wouldn’t work the same because the only information voters had would be from the candidates. Without the press, businesses and their products would not be held to the same high standards of honesty, respect and reliability. And without the press, issues concerning race or prejudice would not be revealed to the nation. Without the press, the United States wouldn’t be what it is today.

Here at the Youth and Government State Conference, the consequences of the media is significantly less but with the combination of the print, social and broadcast media, delegates may learn about candidates running for office, about what bills are being debated and what is going on during the entire Youth and Government conference. Media delegates here are the future of journalists, and it is important that they and everyone else understand their important role in the democratic system. They are the next in line to promote justice and freedom for all Americans.