WE ARE OHIO YMCA YG!
A National YMCA Program

A fun and exciting way to learn about government!

The Ohio YMCA’s Youth & Government Program enhances development of the American democratic process for young people through participatory training in the theory and practice of the Ohio state government.

Teens in the program learn about the legislative process, how to write and research bills, and how to participate in elections. Their work culminates in teens serving as delegates at their state conference, debating bills on the floor of the legislature. Some teens have actually made bills into laws!

The YG program seeks to build, encourage and strengthen life assets and character traits that will help teens become involved and responsible adults. All YAG activities are designed with the following goals in mind:

• Providing leadership training and preparation to meet the needs of a democratic society
• Stimulating interest and awareness of US and state government’s function
• Creating opportunities for civic engagement and awareness of prominent social issues
• Developing self-confidence and self-expression while fostering tolerance and understanding of others’ point of view
• Cultivating the application of moral and ethical valuing processes to public policy making

Notable alumni of the Youth & Government program include:

• Former Ohio U.S. Senator John Glenn
• State Supreme Court Justice David Prosser
• U.S. Representative Tammy Baldwin
• Appleton Mayor Tim Hanna
• Eric Shinseki, Secretary of Veterans Affairs
• Lawrence Lessig, Harvard Law Professor
• Fmr. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates
• Congressman Dennis Ross, FL
• Christa McAuliffe was a YAG advisor in NH before she was chosen to be on the Challenger
• George H. Gallup (founder of Gallup Pollng) conducted some of his first state polls with NJ YG delegates