JEFFERSON CITY, MO (KY3) – More than 500 teenagers from across Missouri are giving up their weekend to learn about politics and government.

The YMCA Youth and Government The conference is in full swing in Jefferson City. Hundreds of students from 8th to 12th grade went to the capitol to learn firsthand what it’s like to be a legislator, a judge or even a reporter. This program is available to Missouri students each year. If you or your student would like to get involved, talk to your school or local YMCA.

The program is fully run by the students’ elected leaders, this year it’s Speaker of the House Isaac Basi and Lt. Gov. Stephen Niklawski. Both are seniors in high school.

“I wanted to learn what it’s like to walk the halls of our capitol and learn how the whole process works from a first-person perspective,” Niklawski said.

People stay in the program for a long time, like Amber Peterein, who attended the program as a student and has now volunteered on the organizational side for 10 years.

“The motto of the whole program is that democracy must be learned by every generation,” Peterein said. “It really gives them that opportunity to flex their leadership muscles and experience how government should work.”

Students introduce, debate and vote on bills using the same rules as the Missouri Legislature. They even discuss topics that real lawmakers weigh in on every day, including initiative roll reform, women’s rights, and the death penalty.

“Last year, my bill was to abolish the death penalty in the state of Missouri,” Basi said. “Fortunately, the bill made it to the House floor where I was able to discuss it with the other delegates from the other schools and answer questions and stuff and use all that research to pass my bill.”

As students graduate from both the program and high school, their experience at the state capitol has them considering careers in politics.

“I already plan to study political science and then I plan to go into political consulting or work in our nation’s capital,” Niklawski said.

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