On February 16, 2017, the South Bay Family YMCA Youth and Government delegation attended the California YMCA's 69th Model Legislature and Court Program in Sacramento. This five day program for high school students is designed to enable them to explore their interests in politics, government, media and the judicial system. The students spend a year preparing for this event, exploring legislative process and practicing advocacy in a group setting.
During the Sacramento event, they served as mock legislators, lobbyists, media reporters, legislative analysts, lawyers and more in and around the State Capitol building. The highlight was meeting with Senator Ben Hueso who represents the 40th District.
The students discussed topics such as education, the economy, workforce development, immigration, building vibrant communities and being civically engaged, educated voters with Senator Hueso. He praised the high school delegates for dedicating their time to the program and encouraged them to pursue their dreams. He also praised the YMCA for offering such a great experiential experience to the delegates.
"It was an honor to meet such an influential person in our community who is working tirelessly to make progress in diversifying and unifying our district," said Michael Bule, the Senior Delegation Vice President for the Youth and Government Program.