High School Program Overview

The YMCA Texas Youth and Government high school program boasts over one thousand students from all over Texas who participate in one of five program sections at our annual High School State Conference in Austin. Program sections include Legislative, Judicial, State Affairs Forum, Media, and Governor’s Cabinet/Lobbyists.

Legislative

Judicial

State Affairs Forum

Media

Governor’s Cabinet and Lobbyist

2023-2024 High School Youth and Government State Officers

Preston Lee

Youth Governor

Dallas

Joey Maguire

Lieutenant Governor

Austin

Ethan Chen

Secretary of State

Houston

Matthew Wooten

State Affairs Forum Chair

Dallas

Giselle Morena

Attorney General

Dallas

Jasmine John

Chief Justice

Dallas

Spandana Palyam

Media Co-Editor-in-Chief

Austin

Youth and Government Sections

LEGISLATIVE

In Legislative students create bills focused on topics important to them. Bills are debated, considered in
committee, and moved to the house or senate for consideration. Share your passion with other students from
your school, city, and across the state! Our student legislature considers bills from across the aisle and across all topics. In the Legislature students are given the opportunity to be involved in healthy debates with peers across all subsections of politics.

JUDICIAL

Each year students evaluate and debate high press cases from across the nation. Double murders, homicides and so much more! This section allows you to team up with a group of friends, dominate as a duo, or own the gavel SOLO! Students can participate as Judges presiding over the courtroom and ultimate decision makers on who has the best case. Show off your writing skills and ability to defend your stance and you and your teammate could reverse the decision on this case! The judicial section will give you the knowledge of the legal procedure, ability to communicate, questioning skills, reasoning ability, knowledge of the law, organization, critical thinking, preparation, and teamwork.

STATE AFFAIRS FORUM

Are you passionate about State and National Politics!? In our State Affairs section students create proposals assessing topics in these areas! Proposals are debated, considered in committee, and moved to full contingency consideration. Share your passion with other students from your school, city, and across the state! Our State Affairs section considers proposals from across the aisle and across all topics. In the State Affairs section students are given the opportunity to really develop healthy debate with peers across all subsections of politics. Take this challenge on alone or tag team the debate with a friend or two! Get your graph and visual ready because in State Affairs we challenge you to really think through your stance and defend it!

MEDIA

Everything media you can image, newspaper, broadcast, podcast, blogs, and online social media! YG is about teens and covered by teens! Bring your talents and your skills to ensure in-depth coverage of our conferences and events! You could be the star of our newscast at night or the head of our newspaper! Are you a formatting guru, be our print editor. Can only you see the world perfectly through a lens? Helps us see how you see YG and become our head photographer! News can make or break politicians! Stretch your influence muscles and show our youth leaders that even in YG somebody is always watching and always listening! Get ready to expose how much media influences the political process.

GOVERNOR’S CABINET AND LOBBYIST

Our Governor’s Cabinet section works directly with our Youth Governor. The Youth Governor sets a legislative agenda for the State Conference. He or she then works with the Cabinet to lobby in the Legislative chambers for his or her agenda, which is comprised of specific bills or issues he or she would like to see debated and acted upon.