Colorado Youth in Government is a statewide youth educational program involving high school students in a three month "hands-on" learning experience. Since its inception, the program has used a variety of activities to build, encourage, and strengthen those life assets and character traits that will help students become involved, responsible adults and decent, respected citizens. Participants spend more than three days over the course of several months involved directly in a simulation of Colorado state government. In addition, they are required to draft bills and conduct necessary research to consider pressing issues effectively as a collective body. Through this interactive experience, they come to understand exactly how they can and should make their voices heard. Youth in Government is the nation’s premier program for students seeking to learn more about the society they live in and will some day be the leaders of. It is also a great resource for parents who would like to give their kids a head start on developing important traits like social responsibility and lifetime learning. By getting students involved in politics from a young age, Youth in Government instills a sense of civic duty and political awareness that are critical to the prosperity of the state, the nation and future generations. Youth in Government alumni are statistically more likely than average citizens to engage in crucial aspects of American society like voting and volunteering for campaigns. The sponsoring organizations, usually (but not exclusively) community YMCAs, form one or more delegations by recruiting teenagers at high schools or through teen outreach programs. In some cases, delegations are sponsored directly by schools or other organizations in order for the program to provide opportunities to all interested high school youth from anywhere in the state.
