Westfield Students Star In Youth Government Conference

WESTFIELD, NJ - Acting as state senators, assemblymen, justices, lobbyists, members of the media and other political powerhouses, Westfield High School students participated in the 81st Annual New Jersey Youth and Government (NJYAG) Conference.

The three-day, YMCA-sponsored legislative simulation program provided an experiential lesson on civic engagement and responsibility that saw Westfield earning top honors including “Outstanding Delegation.”

“It is essentially a mock state legislature where students debate and vote on bills they have developed for the conference,” said David Della Fera, a Westfield High School English teacher who co-advises the YAG Club with WHS history teacher Daniel Farabaugh. “Our students prepare for months leading up to this conference.”

According to Della Fera, 27 Westfield High School students were among the more than 500 students representing the 20 plus New Jersey high schools who participated in this year’s conference from April 12-14.

Traditionally held in the historic New Jersey State House in Trenton, the conference was relocated this year to the Renaissance Newark Airport Hotel due to renovations at the State House.

The honors awarded the WHS delegation included:

• Seniors Austin Chen and Justin Joseph and Junior Annie Cerria served as officers for
• this year's conference. They spent nearly a year helping to organize and eventually run the conference.
• The WHS Delegation was given an award for Outstanding Delegation.
• Sophomore Kailey Zhao received an award for Outstanding Legislation and was elected
• to an Officer position for next year's conference.
• Freshman Justin Anderson was elected to an Officer position for next year's conference.
• Freshman Samara Useloff was awarded Outstanding First Year Delegate.
• Senior Mark Johnson was awarded Outstanding Lobbyist.
• Junior Margaret Maguire was awarded Outstanding Press Member.
• Juniors Morgan Rollins, Madeline Stack, and Grace Hutchinson were given an award for
• Outstanding Judicial Brief.

Junior Margaret Maguire and Senior Alexander McGrail were selected to attend the
Conference on National Affairs (CONA) in North Carolina this summer. Seniors Justin
Joseph, Austin Chen, Nicolas Guerriero, Junior Greta McLaughlin, and Sophomore
Kailey Zhao were selected as alternates for the conference.

Photo Caption: Members of the Westfield High School Youth and Government recently earned top honors at the 81st Annual New Jersey Youth and Government Conference. L-R: Morgan Rollins, Samara Useloff, Maggie Maguire, Madeline Stack, Grace Hutchinson, Greta McLaughlin, Mark Johnson, Kailey Zhao, Justin Anderson, and Shreya Jyotishi.