75th Anniversary of the Minnesota Ymca Youth in Government Program

Floor Speech

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Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, today, I am proud to stand with my colleague, Senator Smith, to recognize an organization that has meant so much to the people of Minnesota.

On June 4, 2022, the Minnesota YMCA Youth in Government Program celebrates its 75th anniversary. The Minnesota YMCA Youth in Government Program is a youth-led, nonpartisan, experiential learning program that develops and promotes lifelong, active, responsible citizenship in our youth. Annually, the program brings middle and high school students from across Minnesota to create a mock State government in the State capitol, complete with legislative branches for upper and lower classmen, a court, an executive branch, lobbyists, and a press corps.

The program has been developing tomorrow's leaders since 1946 and, since that time, has served over 54,000 middle school and high school students. Today, the Minnesota YMCA Youth in Government program stands as one of the largest and longest running Youth in Government programs in the Nation.

Through Youth in Government, students learn to write bills, debate issues, argue court cases, elect their own leaders, and actively participate in an authentic model of real-life legislative, executive, and judicial processes and structures. Youth in Government students learn about the importance of accountability, responsibility, and the value of getting involved in civic affairs while developing self- confidence and learning their voices matter and need to be heard within the State's--and Nation's--policy and decision-making process.

This vital program creates an environment for students to have meaningful and respectful conversations where students can learn from each other about today's issues while fully acknowledging that each student brings a different life experience to the table, a skill that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. It is through this experience that Youth in Government teaches young people that they have an important and immediate stake in the decisions that shape the future of not only the State of Minnesota, but of their Nation and the world.

The program motto for Minnesota Youth in Government is ``Democracy must be learned by each generation,'' which is more important today than ever.

I ask that my colleagues join Ms. Smith and myself in honoring the Minnesota YMCA Youth in Government Program.

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