Every Wednesday, E-184 bustles with activity as more than 60 students cram into the room. Some passionately debate over policy while others dive deep into government research, all to prepare for the ultimate politically immersive event. This is Youth and Government (YAG).
According to Lucas Ravenscraft, history teacher and YAG adviser, the club offers a firsthand, entirely student-run experience of operating government at the state level while also teaching students how to create and propose effective laws. Over the course of two to three months, students write bills that can be solved through the Missouri legislative process, then travel to Jefferson City to present their ideas to high schoolers from across the state. Owen Sward, senior, said his experiences in YAG gave him further insight into the political landscape of his peers.
“I’m a very politically focused and involved person outside of school,” Sward said. “I follow a lot of political commentary and read up on the news, but YAG is an interesting [way] to get an insight on what other people my age are thinking and what their political views are.”
Ravenscraft said that some of the bills presented at YAG are simply for fun, such as creating an isolated domed city for everyone who didn’t take the COVID vaccine. However, he added, many students are really trying to make a difference.
“One of the coolest things about YAG is that the bills that students come up with and pass are often more meaningful and solution focused than the actual legislators’ [proposals],” Ravenscraft said. “[High schoolers] have much more freedom to do what they think is good and not have to worry about what their constituents think, [unlike those in office].”
One such bill is being proposed by Emerson Saylor, junior. After joining YAG, she found a Missouri law that states that if a pregnant woman is seeking a divorce, the judge working on their case has the power to rule against finalizing the divorce until the woman has given birth. These cases are so rare that citizens aren’t aware of this law until it happens to them, and by then, Saylor said, there is nothing they can do to prevent it.
“I’m trying to overturn [the notion] that the judge gets to choose whether or not a woman gets freedom and safety in a relationship,” Saylor said. “I feel like it’s twisted to not know about these laws, so it’s made me more passionate to dive into different government rulings and see how they really work, and how they can impact people even if you don’t know about them.”
Being a government related club, Saylor said YAG students often debate about polarizing issues. Despite the differences in political views within the club, Saylor said they are easily able to have conversations and discussions with one another.
“It’s a very open environment where we get to hear each other out, instead of attacking [people] with our opinions,” Saylor said. “It’s great to talk and learn [about] other perspectives so we can have a more well rounded view on certain topics.”
While Ravenscraft said having open political discussions is an essential skill for the next generation of voters, he said learning how to form our own opinions is equally important. He suggests that people read printed articles instead of watching the news since it tends to be more partisan than other forms of journalism.
“[Opinion segments] are like catnip because people either love to be outraged or have their biases confirmed,” Ravenscraft said. “None of that is worthwhile if you’re actually trying to make a decision about how to vote. Look for someone who’s actually diving deep into policy differences; that’s what actually matters. All the other stuff [in horse race journalism] is just window dressing.”
