By: Elliessa Andropolis
Leadership Corps is a program added to Youth in Government only two years ago. This is a very important program to our Youth in Government youth. As a participant in it this year, I found it very enjoyable. To begin, students this year were taught the rules of Parliamentary Procedure and all about the values of Youth in Government. Many students already learned about this during their weekly Youth in Government sessions, but it is still a vital part of the program. Next, the participants debated over the bills they worked tirelessly on. One bill includes an act to make Eid al-Fitr, an Islamic holiday, and Diwali, a Hindu holiday, be given their own days off for school. This bill was written by a sixth grader, but he was not allowed to attend due to age. His bill was passed within Leadership Corps. Other notable bills include Hixson Katz’s act to stop the gerrymandering in Wisconsin, and Josephine Al Bulushi’s act to fund the green initiative, also passed. After they finished bill debate, Leadership Corps members attended a youth Supreme Court hearing. From there, the members used what they learned to devise their own arguments on a case. They will have a hearing on this case Sunday morning. In between all of these things, members participated in a variety of bonding experiences, including a scavenger hunt around the capitol. Many of the students enjoyed this experience. “My favorite part of Youth in Government this year was probably debating bills. I liked it because I feel like you can share your opinions, and I also like to look at everyone’s bills.” Says Leadership Corps delegate Zara Rumao. Other delegates said they enjoyed debating as well. After this, they all worked on media projects, making articles and interviewing fellow delegates. Leadership Corps, in all, is a wonderful experience for the seventh grade members of Youth in Government. It should definitely continue into later years of Youth in Government, as it teaches the members about all branches of Youth in Government and prepares them for the further responsibility of later years. In conclusion, it is a vital part of Youth in Government that should certainly continue into the future.