Alex Anderson, a Stevens Point Area Senior High School senior, was selected to represent the YMCA Youth in Government program on a national level in Washington, D.C., recently at the YMCA National Advocacy Days.

Alex Anderson, A Stevens Point YMCA Youth in Government delegate, was selected to represent the program nationally in Washington, D.C. During that trip she met with Tammy Baldwin, U.S. Senator from Wisconsin. Shown at that meeting are, from left, Tiffany Praeger, Stevens Point YMCA Teen director; Tammy Baldwin; Carrie Wall, Milwaukee Association YMCA CEO; Alex Anderson; and Jon Agnew, Wisconsin YMCA resource director. (Contributed photo)

Anderson said she has enjoyed her three years in the Youth in Government program and was able to meet other Youth Advocates from around the nation to advocate for the YMCA and why she believes the work done is important to her, Wisconsin and the nation.

One of her meetings was with Tammy Baldwin, U.S. Senator from Wisconsin. “After three years of writing mock legislation and participating in model government sessions, this week has brought the skills I’ve learned from those programs to the next level. Discussing important issues facing the YMCA and Wisconsin with Senator Tammy Baldwin allowed me to use my knowledge about policy and public speaking skills to advocate for a good cause,” Anderson said.

The Stevens Point Area YMCA is wrapping up its Youth in Government (YIG) program. YIG is a hands-on program for teens in grades 7-12. From October to March, teens meet twice a month on Sundays from 6 to 7:15 p.m., to learn how the law-making process works.

This is a teen-led program, where students learn and debate current political events, write articles and bills, and create arguments for judicial cases. Teen participants wrap up the season with a weekend trip to Madison for a Model Government Conference, where more than 150 students convene for three days in the legislative and judicial chambers of the Wisconsin State Capitol.

This past year, the Point delegation was comprised of 15 teen leaders who engaged in learning more about the governmental process.

The next YIG program will run from October 2018 to March 2019. See the YMCA for more information next fall.