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Thirty-three delegates from the student-run, student-led Aletheia and Plant City Youth in Government clubs attended the 58th Annual YIG State Assembly in Tallahassee recently.
58TH ANNUAL YOUTH IN GOVERNMENT STATE ASSEMBLY BY CHERYL JOHNSTON
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hirty-three student delegates from two local YMCA-affiliated Youth in Government clubs recently attended the 58th Annual YIG State Assembly in Tallahassee. Both the Aletheia and Plant City student-led clubs, comprised mostly of homeschoolers, share Michelle Hanchett as advisor. State Assembly is the annual highlight for students, who prepare all year for roles they’ll play in Tallahassee. These include positions in the Legislative, Judicial, or Executive branches, the Press Corps, or a role similar to lobbyist as Director of Legislative Affairs. The Tampa Delegation of 130 students from several Hillsborough
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County chapters met almost 500 other peers from across the state to be government in action for four days in Florida’s capitol. The gathering that began February 11 was Aletheia Club’s secretary Nicole Gregory’s third year in the Legislative branch. She served also as a Committee Chair at Assembly. She and another delegate wrote similar bills to require labeling of food containing GMOs (genetically modified organism) and combined them for a better chance of passing the bill into “YIG law.” The Gregory triplets, all involved in YIG, are homeschooled high school juniors dual-enrolled at Hillsborough Community College. Nicole’s hallmark moments this
year were presenting the GMO labeling bill. “It was exhilarating to experience the legislative process firsthand.” Their proposition passed through 1st and 2nd Committee, the House and Senate, making it all the way to the Cabinet, before the Governor vetoed it,” she explained. Legislative delegates spent Friday and Saturday debating bills and voting, with the highest of three branch levels enjoyed debating in the actual House and Senate. Meanwhile, Press Corps members collected quotes and wrote articles, while the Directors of Legislative Affairs (DLAs) scurried back and forth between chambers in support of certain bills. The Judicial branch members hear, present, and debate cases.
Stevie Cilenti, 16, an Eagle Scout and junior dual-enrolled full-time at HCC, plans to complete ROTC, graduate in Aerospace Engineering from Embry Riddle, and become an Army officer. “For the past two years, I was too scared to get up and talk,” he shared. Through YIG, I’ve made so many friends and have gained a greater sense of selfconfidence.” Cilenti was in the Williams Senate, which met in the actual Senate room. “The comfortable chairs had about a foot of padding and the desks were huge,” he explained. “We even got to use the microphones and had an awesome Senate President, Noah Rohm. Although my bill never made it to the docket, I still had a good time debating other people’s bills.” Aletheia Club president, Phillip Criss, also a homeschooled dual-enrolled senior, had the honor of motioning to adjourn the 58th State Assembly. “Although I’m not interested in politics much,” he offered, “the whole process of debating solutions to problems intrigues me. I didn’t speak much this year...just enjoyed listening to the back and forth. Even though I’m graduating, I intend to take advantage of opportunities for graduates to stay involved.”Gregory strongly recommends YIG to any high school or middle school students. “I enjoyed the countless hands-on lessons of how government works,” she encouraged. “I learned new ways to confidently use my voice to positively impact others, to express my opinions and passions, and to change the world for the better. I also learned the importance of engaging others with authenticity and integrity…YIG has cultivated amazing friendships in my life that will not be forgotten.” Those interested should e-mail advisor Michelle Hanchett at rmhanch@ verizon.net and visit the Florida YIG website at floridayig.net, the online version of Florida YIG’s newspaper called The Page Note at thepagenote. blogspot.com, or our go-to dashboard during State Assembly at dash.floridayig. net for a schedule and other resources.