In order to foster a rewarding and challenging program, the District Conference allows students to qualify for the right to participate in the State Conference. District Conferences are one-day, qualifying, regional competitions that students and mentors look forward to as great warm-ups for the much larger State Conferences several months later.

Each year, months of hard work and countless man hours culminate with the Texas Youth and Government State Conferences.  These Conferences host select delegates from all districts in multiple program sections and invite them to showcase their political skills and learn from their peers. By coordinating the efforts of volunteers, staff, and delegates, we hope to make each year’s State Conference better than the last, fostering a unique and healthy competition for all.

Our Middle School (Junior Youth and Government) State Conference takes place the last weekend in January of each year, and our High School  State Conference takes place the first weekend in March.  Attendees can review the YG Pre-Conference Handbook here and the JYG Pre-Conference Handbook here.

The National Judicial Competition (NJC), Conference on National Affairs (CONA), and National Advocacy Days (NAD) bring together Youth and Government participants from around the country.  At NJC, Judicial participants face off in mock trial and appellate competitions.  CONA involves researching an issue of national and/or international concern, organizing the information gained into a creative proposal describing a solution to the issue, and engaging in intensive discussion and debate about proposals with understanding young people from other states.  Through NAD, Texas Youth and Government students visit Washington, D.C., and work with Y staff to advocate on behalf of the Y’s agenda: youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.  Texas Youth and Government also connects its Youth Governor to Youth Governors across the country during the annual Youth Governors’ Conference.  For more information about these opportunities, visit our National Conferences tab.

JOHN KAEMPF HONOREES AND BIL THEISS HONOREES – These awards recognize former Youth and Government State Directors John Kaempf (’73-’84) a former CEO of the Ft. Worth YMCA and Bill Theiss (’84-’93) (a former CEO of Waxahachie YMCA). Both of these gentlemen retired from full-time service at local YMCA’s to give further outstanding service to Texas Youth and Government. Their servant leadership embodies all that YG teaches and is modeled by recipients of these awards.

SUZANNE MABIE AWARD – This award recognizes Suzanne Mabie, former YMCA Youth and Government State Director in Louisiana and Texas and while State Director for Texas, Ms. Mabie created the YMCA Texas Junior Youth and Government Program. Additionally, Ms. Mabie later worked with YMCA of the USA as a Technical Advisor for Youth Events as well as Youth and Government support. Her dedication, kindness and passion for serving youth and teens have positively impacted program participants, YMCA staff and volunteers throughout the country. In her honor, we present this award to an outstanding YMCA Staff or Volunteer of the YMCA Texas Junior Youth and Government Program who embodies outstanding servant- leadership.