Youth and Government, a YMCA-run program, gives teenagers the opportunity to increase their political involvement and attend large conventions in places like Sacramento and an isolated military base camp. It is designed to educate high school sophomores, juniors and seniors in California on the principles of a democratic government, and allows students to be a part of a mock senate and participate in mock court trials. In this model legislature, students debate, discuss, and role play. The team works up to a conference held in the state capitol building that occurs once a year.

“Some people just absolutely adore this program,” junior Youth and Government participant Monica Datta said. “I know it means a lot to them and I can see why.”

Several students from Gunn participate in Youth and Government program. As members of the program, they learn how different branches of the government work by participating in the mock legislature or court.

“We have our own governor and our own mock cabinet members,” Datta said. “We have a mock assembly and a mock senate.”

At a typical weekly meeting, members start off with bonding. Following that, they brainstorm about potential bills, and potential officers work on their campaigns. Sometimes, they even send bills to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“Meetings are hilarious most of the time,” junior Youth and Government participant Meghna Dholakia said. “There’s a lot of yelling. A lot of people falling out of chairs.”

A major component of the Youth and Government program is the trips the members make. Members attend two training camps that help prepare them for the large convention in Sacramento, during which members present bills or trials they have been working on throughout the session.

At the first training camp, which occurs over a weekend in the beginning of winter, delegates learn about the various positions available to them in Youth and Government and decide which one they want to take on. At the second camp in January, they learn how to carry out those roles and they work in groups on bills, cases and other material that they will eventually present at the Sacramento conference.

Datta, who attended the second training camp this year, said that groups generally played a lot of games together. Her group in particular was given a fairly important job. “For my particular section, we got to elect the speaker for the assembly [of the conference],” she said.

In February, delegates headed over to Sacramento for their biggest conference at which they presented bills and court cases to fellow members across California. The model legislature lasted for five days.

One of Datta’s favorite moments from the conference was when she gave a speech for a sex-offender regulation bill in California and got to see it get passed in both the Assembly and Senate.

“No one argued against my bill so it got an almost unanimous vote,” Datta said. “I was pretty happy about that.”

Being involved in these kinds of conferences is helpful for youth for many reasons. It creates a very diverse environment, according to Palo Alto YMCA Youth and Government advisor Tiffany Davidson.

“It builds self-confidence,” Davidson said. “It gives teens a form in which they can express their opinions in an open way. You don’t have to be popular. This is a place where you can just be yourself and nobody judges you.”

Datta has had a positive experience with Youth and Government for various reasns. “It’s a really good opportunity for public speaking,” Datta said. “I’m more politically aware. For example, we learned about the state budget deficit and now I know why our public school system is so bad.”

Recently, Dholakia was nominated for and elected president of the local Youth and Government chapter for next year. Dholakia, who has been a member now for five years, joined the program after stumbling upon a brochure on the ground one day when she was at the local YMCA. As president, she will organize meetings and shape the direction the delegates will go year.