Every Monday since the last week in August, Youth in Government (YIG) students have met and prepared for one event: the Jefferson City Convention. This is the culminating event for the whole club, which will take place Nov 10-12. Now the 30 students and four chaperones are prepared and eager to go, debate and report at the convention.

“They sound like they’re excited; they’re pretty charged up,” said Club Sponsor Mrs. Margo Hoffman.

The students have been taught the importance of being a team in the delegation, to show support for the school and district, to vote for those in our school’s delegation and show support for the other two schools in the district also going.

“We’re hoping for lots of awards,” said Mrs. Hoffman. “We usually bring home four or five every year.”

According to Mrs. Hoffman, this is quite an accomplishment considering that throughout the state only about fifteen awards are given out.

“It just shows how wonderful our kids are,” said Mrs. Hoffman.

To prepare for the convention coming up, the legislators have learned parliamentary procedure, how to write a bill format, how to understand how money works in the government and how to be better debaters. As for the media, they have written one news story or video news story, but mostly they are just waiting for the convention to be put into action.

“95% of what media does is at the convention,” said Mrs. Hoffman.

In addition to this, the students have been briefed on how to stay safe in the capital and how to dress as legislators.

“Some people didn’t even own a tie before this, but now they have to,” said Mrs. Hoffman.