Ava Strippling

Staff Writer

   Youth and Government (YAG) is a national YMCA program that allows students to learn about the interworkings of the U.S. government and experience government policies firsthand by creating a mock government. Each year, the students work to write bills, briefs, and counterarguments to present at the local YAG conference in Raleigh. At this year’s conference, many R.J. Reynolds students represented the school exceptionally well. 

   Junior Sophie Johnson served as a senior lobbyist on the legislative side at this year’s conference. 

   “I’m on the legislative side, so I help with the bill process, and I go up and lobby pro or con against a bill and represent an organization,” Johnson said. “I’m the official person who’s trying to convince you to vote which way on a bill.” 

   Johnson is climbing the ladder in the world of YAG, going from lobbyist to the Secretary of State. 

   “This coming year, I’m going to be Secretary of State and run that whole [lobbyist] program,” Johnson said.

   Johnson took a deep dive into what exactly YAG is and what the students do at the conference. 

   “There are three branches: one’s media, one’s legislative, which does the bill process, and one’s judicial, which has two sides: the court of appeals and mock trials,” Johnson said. “Court of appeals is a case of appeals that are being reconsidered, and then mock trial is an actual court case, and it basically mocks the judicial branch.”

   Not only is YAG a great way to learn about the U.S. government, but it’s also a way to meet lifelong friends. 

   “My favorite part is the people,” Johnson said. “I’ve made so many friends; we all want to be there for the same reason, and all have the same passions.”

   Alongside Johnson, junior Alice Neelon is also making waves within the YAG community. 

   “For the past two years, I’ve been the committee chair,” Neelon said. “I essentially help move the debate along, and this upcoming year, I’ll be a presiding officer. I’ll look over the committee chairs and kind of train them leading up to the conference.” 

   Neelon also agrees that YAG is the place to meet the best kinds of people. 

   “I really like how YAG gets you involved in civic responsibility, and it’s just a really great way to meet people in the state,” Neelon said. “I love going back every year and seeing the friends that I’ve made.” 

   Senior Mary Lowe Edmunson also represented RJR at this year’s conference and held an impactful position within the mock government. 

   “I was an associate justice for the court of appeals,” Edmunson said. “I helped lead the courtrooms and helped people write briefs.” 

   In addition to students from RJR having leading positions in YAG, some decided to write bills to potentially get passed within the legislative branch. This year, at the conference, three seniors, Lucy Hatch, Peyton Britt, and Charlie Stoter, came together and wrote a bill to be presented at the conference. 

   “We wrote a bill called ‘Hide the Dogs’, and it banned open-toed shoes in North Carolina schools,” Britt said. “We presented the bill and also debated other people’s bills at the conference.” 

   YAG is a great way to get hands-on leadership experience and immerse yourself in the world of government policies. Not only does it teach critical thinking, teamwork, and networking skills, but it’s also a place where you can find people with the same passions as yourself and make lifelong connections. This year’s YAG conference was a huge success and will continue to grow at RJR and throughout the nation.