Servant Leaders Training

Each fall, we hold Servant Leaders Training to bring together club officers from around the state to participate in workshops led by their elected student presiding officers.  The training educates the students on how to become more effective leaders in their clubs and communities, and it gives each of the student groups the opportunity to share their best practices with one another.

Workshops include: bill writing and debating, fundraising and community service, how to recruit new members and how to run meetings.

Servant Leaders Training for 2023-2024 will take place on Saturday, September 23, 2023 at Hershey HS from about 9am-3pm.

Elections Convention


At the end of Fall, we hold our Election Conventions (EC).  Students will come together to run for statewide leadership positions such as: Speaker of the house, Lt. Governor, Committee Chairs, Justices, and Press Managers. Candidates campaign at a general fair and make their case for being elected to each club. The day ends with clubs voting and electing our statewide student leaders.

Eastern EC will take place on Saturday, November 11, 2023 at Springfield Township HS.

Western EC will take place on Saturday, November 18, 2023 at Somerset Jr/Sr HS.

Pre Legislative/Judicial  Session

Towards the end of Winter, we hold our Pre-Legislative/Judicial Sessions (Pre-Leg).  At this point students will have determined if they are in the Legislative branch serving as a Senator, representative, Lobbyists or pages.  Executive Branch serving under the Youth Governor on their platforms. Judicial branch serving as an Attorney or Justice. Media corps serving as Journalist, photographers, or Social Media Correspondents.

Students will be given training for their area by student leaders and professionals. The day ends with bill sharing groups where students give feedback on student written draft legislation.

 Western Pre-Leg will take place on Saturday, February 3, 2024 at Knoch HS.

Eastern Pre-Leg will take place on Saturday, February 10, 2024 at Central Dauphin HS.

Model Convention

Every Spring Model Convention brings all areas of our program together in Harrisburg to take over the State Capitol.  This is where all of the hard work and training comes together.  Student Representatives and Senators debate their bills on the Pennsylvania House and Senate floors, seeking signature by the Youth Governor. Lobbyist will speak pro or con on the topic area they represent.

The Youth Governor  and their Administration will seek the passage or failure of bills based on the Youth Governor’s platform.

In Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court Chambers, student Justices preside over a tournament-style Mock Appellate Court. Following review of student attorney-drafted briefs and oral argument, the Justices deliberate and issue their opinion at the end of the Mock Government Experience.

Media students focus on capturing the entire conference through creative videos, frequent social media projects, daily updates, and conduct hard-hitting interviews to keep the rest of the participants up-to-date at throughout the Model  Conference Weekend.

The weekend concludes with awards, selections to national conferences, and the election of our new Youth Governor, Speaker of the house, Lt. Governor, Chief Justice and Editor in Chief.

Model 2024 will be held on April 18-21 at the Hilton Harrisburg and the PA State Capitol.


National Events & Other Programs


Conference on National Affairs

The YMCA Conference On National Affairs (CONA), held at the beautiful YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly in North Carolina, is a nationwide conference for high school students. At this conference, delegations from 34 states debate issues of national and international concern. Each year, PA YMCA Youth & Government sends a team of 25 delegates to CONA, chosen from applicants who have participated in our Model Legislature program.


National Judicial Competition

The YMCA of the USA has partnered with the American Bar Association to conduct the National Judicial Competition (NJC). NJC is a nationwide conference for high school students, in which delegations from across the country participate in a Mock Trial-Appellate Court competition. Each year, PA YMCA Youth & Government selects 8 delegates, who have applied and participated in our Model Legislature, to compete at NJC.

 

Y Corps

Through the Y-Corps program, teens go to interesting places, build positive friendships and participate in community service projects.  Students spend the year executing their own service projects within their local community as well as raising funds for the State YMCA scholarship fund.  Each year culminates in a week-long mobile service trip which changes each year in locations and theme.

 


Youth Advocacy Academy

The YMCA Youth Advocacy Academy is a statewide advocacy training program for high school students in grades 9-12. Through a hybrid model (virtual and in-person sessions), participants will engage in individual and group exercises designed to provide them with skills and resources necessary to effectuate positive changes in their communities, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States. Click the link above for more information.

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