Students from Centre Middle School attended the statewide Junior Youth Legislature (JYL) on Friday, January 26th in Montgomery. JYL is a model legislature program geared specifically to junior high students. At JYL participants are encouraged to step outside of their comfort zone, meet new people, try new things, and keep an open mind as they experience the legislative process firsthand through activities which include officer elections as well as workshops on bill writing and parliamentary procedure.

Participants will also join with others to come up with their own legislation (a bill). Selected bills will then be presented by the authors and debated as part of a mock legislative session.The Youth-in-Government program provides students with a unique opportunity to be part of a community—one that promotes understanding of the challenges individuals face, acceptance of defeat without discouragement, and tolerance towards points of view different than their own.

This sense of community and deep friendships will last a lifetime, impacting not only their individual lives but also the lives of the people around them.

Harper Nowak received the Outstanding Statesmanship Award.

For more information on how to join Youth-in-Government, contact Anita Nation at anation@cherokeek12.org.