Local students step into government roles for a weekend

GREEN BAY – A Green Bay delegation recently traveled to Madison to take part in the YMCA’s 69th annual Wisconsin Youth in Government (YIG) conference, where students stepped into the roles of lawmakers, judges and journalists inside the Wisconsin State Capitol.

The program, open to students in grades 7-12 across the state, gives participants the opportunity to “run the government” for a weekend.

Students participate in one of YIG’s four branches—Legislative, Executive, Supreme Court and Media—gaining firsthand experience in government and civic engagement.

“The spirit of YIG is teaching young people the tools of democracy through hands-on work,” said Greater Green Bay YMCA Director of Youth Development Ben Gunderson,.

Gunderson first discovered the program through Minnesota’s Youth in Government program, where he worked for six years.

“I started as an adult advisor there not knowing anything and going into the conference kind of cold as an advisor for the courts,” he said. “I fell in love with the impact that this program has and the unique opportunities it offers young people. When I came to Wisconsin this was one of the programs I really wanted to bring to the YMCA.”

While the YIG conference takes place annually in March, preparation begins in October.

Over six months, students write bills, draft courtroom briefs and develop news articles in their respective program areas.

“YIG is an incredibly transformative experience for young people,” said Director of Youth Outreach Jack Conroy, who helps lead the program alongside Gunderson. “Instead of preparing for weekly games like in a sport, you’re preparing for one major conference—and then it’s done. That’s representative of how life, work, and hobbies go. Overall, it’s a great way to introduce young people to the real world.”

For students, the program offers a unique opportunity to engage with government processes firsthand.

“My case was about a dispute over the First Amendment right to the freedom of speech when it comes to social media,” said eighth grader Yashika Anand, who participated in the Supreme Court program. “I learned a lot about open records laws and how the First Amendment comes into play against government officials. I also learned that how you argue and the way you present yourself can influence court cases.”

The Green Bay delegation was established in the 1980s but closed in the late 2000s.

In 2021, it was revived thanks to a major donation from Yield Giving, a charitable organization founded by philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.

“I heard about the funding before I took the job. I was blown away by that,” said Gunderson. “I can’t imagine a better gift than being given that runway… especially learning that 12 years previously there’d been a delegation that fizzled. There were already roots, we just needed to replant them.”

Now finished with its fourth conference since re-establishment, the delegation is looking ahead to even more growth in the future, continuing to build the program and expand Youth in Government classes into more middle schools.

“YIG allowed me to meet people from all over the state and make friendships and memories. It was a really great experience,” said freshman Mario Ventura.
For more information, visit www.greenbayymca.org/programs/youth-government.