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.