Everyone has something that they are passionate about. I am passionate about Youth in Government, and you should be too. Let me start by saying YIG really is as fun as the History department says it is. For four days in November, students from across the state come together, to debate the legislation that affects our daily lives. YIG seeks to inform students about policy and help them create their own perspective, based on debate and discussion. We live in a representative democracy. Democracy does not work unless we the people do. This year at YIG I ran for Superintendent of Education on this principle. By acting now, as students, and getting involved in political discussion, we can maximize future benefit for our state and nation. YIG is the best, because although we are kids, we still have a voice. By discussing our opinions with other students, we get to decide what we want our future to look like. It is up to us. We will be the leaders of tomorrow.

By having these talks today, we prepare ourselves for a coherent future. A future, that the U.S. desperately needs. When did politics become about who had the most “roasts” in a debate? Today, if you turn on CNN or FOX you are likely to find news that makes politics look much more like a wrestling match than a discussion. The 2020 presidential election is coming up. I am confident everyone has a reason they support a specific candidate, but when it comes down to it, voting has come down to logos, aesthetic, and name, rather than specific policy. This is where YIG comes into play. YIG strives to discuss ideas, and not people. By debating the ideas that affect us, we create a less hostile political environment and make room for more change. Government becomes about the people and policy, rather than Capitol standoffs.

In the future, we will be making the decisions. We can create a productive future, or fall into the same cycle of government we see today: lots of talk and no action. We should be the era that ends this. Let’s debate ideas, not people, and bring forth an era of productivity. A future we can be proud of. We are kids today, but we will be the leaders of tomorrow. Let’s be the leaders our country deserves.