Youth in Government

The YMCA Youth in Government program is a civic engagement and leadership development program for high school and middle school students across the state. The mission of the Youth in Government program is to help create the next generation of informed, active citizens. We do this through a series of programs and conferences and experiential education opportunities.

The Model Legislature and Court Conference is a four-day event in which more than 1,200 high school students from 40 schools across the state take over the Statehouse in Columbia to create a model legislature, a trial court and appellate court system. Students serve in the roles of legislators, attorneys, lobbyists, pages, justices, newspaper and television reporters. Student legislators write and debate bills on topics that are important to them, while attorneys try a criminal case, and argue an appeals case before a bench of youth justices. Students use the legislative chambers in the Statehouse, and courtrooms in the SC Court of Appeals building. jMore than 50 young adults - most of them alumni of the SC YIG program - provide the volunteer leadership for the program. South Carolina's high school model legislature is one of the five largest in the nation, and celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2008.

The Middle School Model Legislature brings students in grades 6-8 to Columbia for a three-day conference. Students serve in the roles of Senator and Representative, writing and debating bills using the Statehouse legislative chambers. High school students serve as mentors and leadership for thie middle school conference.

The Middle School Model United Nations program is a year-round classroom project culminating in a two-day conference. Students work in groups of 2-5 to student a country, which they represent at the conference. Students write a proposal which is introduced in the council and General Assembly sessions at the conference. Students create a display - including information, cultural artifacts, food and music - for the Festival of Nations. They also make a flag, and create native attire costumes. The conference takes place at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly Conference Center in Black Mountain, NC. The purpose of the program is to promote global awareness, and an understanding of the differences and commonalities of countries around the world.

The Horizons Values Conference is a three-day event for high school students. The conference takes place at YMCA Camp Greenville, and works to help young adults tackle the challenging issues of their lives. Students work in small discussion groups to talk about the difficulties or challenges facing them, with the goal of creating a support network of positive peer influences. The conference takes advantage of the beautiful setting of Camp Greenville, with students participating in hikes, the outdoor group dynamics course, and the exciting high ropes course. Students from across South Carolina, as well as Tennessee and Kentucky, participate in this conference.

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