Last weekend, students from Pomperaug High School traveled to the state capitol and participated in the YMCA Youth and Government program. The group of 22 students met biweekly at the Heritage Hotel starting in October and wrote bills on topics of their choosing, relating to issues in Connecticut. The program culminates in a three-day conference where 250 students from all over the state debate their bills in the halls of the House and Senate chambers and some of the bills that pass are presented to Governor Malloy. The Pomperaug delegation is in its third year and is sponsored by the Southbury Community Trust Fund and the Greater Waterbury YMCA.
Participated isn’t really the right word for what our students did, they not only participated, they stood out at the conference. The Pomperaug students spoke passionately, asked meaningful questions, and collaborated with the 250 other students from all over the state. It wasn’t just during debate that the students shined, it was the little things that made this group stand out: they were on time to check out of the hotel on Sunday morning, even though it was early and they were tired; they held doors for other students and advisors; and spent their downtime talking about their sessions. This group represented not only their school but their entire community responsibly and without hesitation. One of the students even won the “Best Bill Award” for their bill that prohibited smoking in front of businesses by customers or employees.
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As their advisor, the most exciting aspect for me is that only four of the involved students were seniors and will be graduating in June, which means that most of the students will be back next year! The majority left the conference talking about the offices they would run for next year, the next bill they will write, and the friends they made from the other delegations. Two of the students ran for office and although they didn’t win, they were excited to get more time to debate at next year’s conference. I am extremely proud of the hard work and dedication of these students. I am excited for this community because of its active teen population with a passionate interest in politics and more importantly, a dedication to doing the “right thing.” The Pomperaug Youth and Government delegation will once again begin recruiting more members in grades 9-12 in the fall for the 2015 YAG Conference. Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in becoming involved with this great group!
