by Marlana Krulish, State Director, Youth in Government, YMCA of Metro Denver
For nearly 75 years, the YMCA of Metro Denver Youth in Government program has offered local teens a transformative opportunity to learn more about our democracy and how government shapes the lives of everyone around us.
Over the course of three days, 60 kids from middle schools and high schools across the state of Colorado gather at the State Capitol to take part in a mock legislative program. Participants get to experience what it is like to be a legislator, lobbyist, judge, or journalist while gaining the skills, confidence, and connections to become the future leaders of our community.
The Youth in Government program kicks off with a pre-legislative session where attendees collaborate with their peers with similar assigned roles and meet their nominated presiding officers, including — Governor, Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House, President of the Senate, Attorney General, Chief Justice, and Editor-in-Chief. A local judge then makes it official as each member is sworn in at the start of the first official day of the General Assembly.
Over the course of the next three days, students debate the bills and vote on their respective committees before going in front of the full voting bodies of the mock legislature. Participants learn about the Colorado State Constitution first-hand as they apply it to every decision and aspect of the process while meeting the professional standards expected of real-life lawmakers and stakeholders.
Each year, one of the highlights of the program is the YMCA National Youth Assembly held in Washington, D.C. Hosted by the Student Governors elected in each state, the event provides a platform for connection as participants from across America meet other youth leaders, share knowledge, and adopt new ideas to take back to their respective home states.
The return of the in-person National Youth Assembly in June offered a unique opportunity to Colorado students Robert Erickson and Marcus Centeno from Gold Crown Clubhouse in Edgewater. Recognized for designing a tool for Colorado Children’s Hospital to better serve special needs patients with distance learning, Robert and Marcus became the first Denver YMCA beneficiaries to receive the Changemakers Grant from Amazon, which gave them the opportunity to attend this year’s event.
Although the practical knowledge that Youth in Government provides is invaluable, what makes the program so impactful is the community that it creates. Despite being too young to vote, teens that have a passion for making a difference in their community have a place where they can come together and connect with other future changemakers.
To learn more about the YMCA Youth in Government program and the upcoming session on November 20-23, 2022, at the Colorado State Capitol, visit www.denver ymca.org/yig.