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Politics & Government

YMCA Youth and Government Program Returns to Concord

Civics Program Allows High School Students to Stand Up and Speak Out

On Friday & Saturday, April 10-11, more than 300 New Hampshire teens from 30 schools will take over the state capital as the YMCA’s 67th annual Youth and Government program comes to the State House in Concord for a Model Legislature Day. Governor Maggie Hassan will welcome delegates as part of the opening ceremonies. During the two-day event, delegates will discuss and debate some of the more than 110 bills they’ve prepared as part of the program.

Youth and Government is a national program of the Y that involves thousands of teens nationwide in state-organized, model-government programs. Teens from across every state meet in their local Youth and Government groups throughout the year to discuss and debate issues that affect citizens of their state and to propose legislation. The program culminates with teens serving as delegates at their state conference, debating bills on the floor of the legislature.

Along with school advisors & YMCA volunteers, high school students in New Hampshire’s Youth and Government program have the opportunity to immerse themselves in civics and practice democracy through two weekends in March and April. The Pre-Legislative Election Day was held on Saturday, March 15. At that time, the following students were elected to key offices for the Model Legislature Day:

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Youth Governor: Jacob Woods, White Mountains Regional School

Senate President: Simon Lazev, Exeter High School

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House Speaker: Stephen Buttoph, Plymouth Regional High School

Chief Justice: Grayson Miller, Kingswood Regional High School

Editor in Chief: James Griffin, Hillsboro-Deering High School

Mr. Henry Veilleux of Sheehan & Phinney Capitol Group and Stephen Duprey of the Duprey Companies serve as co-chairs of New Hampshire’s YMCA Youth and Government program, which is sponsored by the NH/VT State Alliance of YMCAs. Corporate sponsors for 2015 are: The Duprey Companies, Sheehan Phinney Capitol Group, Northeast Delta Dental, Prospect Hill Strategies, Unitil, Bank of New Hampshire, Waste Management, New Hampshire Democratic Party, and Anagnost Companies. Youth and Government handbooks and bill books are printed by Town & Country Reprographics.

For further information on YMCA Youth & Government please contact Jody Skelton, director, at (603) 539-4710 or jody@camphuckins.com

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