January 29, 2009 Issue
Application Deadline for 39th Annual Youth Legislative Assembly February 12
The Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office of the N.C. Department of Administration will accept applications through Thursday, February 12, for the 39th annual Youth Legislative Assembly (YLA), to be held March 13 to 15 in Raleigh.
YLA is an opportunity for North Carolina high school students to write, debate and vote on bills and share their views with legislators and other state government officials. General Sessions will be held at the Legislative Office Building, Room 643, with other activities at the Sheraton Raleigh Hotel.
Following procedures used by members of the N.C. General Assembly, participants will work in one of 10 committees before gathering for general sessions. Among the items to be considered are bills to legalize the institution of civil unions; require every North Carolina public school system to offer a foreign language program in primary schools; require a minimum refundable deposit on recyclable, individually sealed beverage containers; reform the gun show loophole; and institute a syringe exchange program. A YLA final report will be sent to the governor, members of the General Assembly and other key state leaders.
Presiding over this year’s YLA will be tri-speakers Seth Morris, a senior at Salisbury High School in Salisbury; David Freifeld, a senior at Enloe High School in Raleigh; and Elgin Giles, a junior at West Johnson High School in Benson.
The per-student fee of $125 (four students in one room) or $165 (two students in one room) covers hotel accommodations for two nights, five meals, a T-shirt and conference materials. Fees must be included with the application and will increase after February 12. Written notice of acceptance or denial of registration will be provided by Monday, March 2.
YLA 2009 sponsors are the N.C. Cable Telecommunications Association, the John William Pope Foundation, Progress Energy, the N.C. Sheriff’s Association and the N.C. Minority/Women Business Enterprise Coordinators’ Network, the latter of which provides financial aid scholarships. Sponsorship opportunities are still available.
To download registration forms, click to the Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office website at www.doa.state.nc.us/yaio/ylaconf.htm. A list of the 10 committees and proposed legislation from each committee is online, along with information and registration forms for adult chaperones. For more information, contact YLA Coordinator Cynthia Giles at 919-789-5880 or Cynthia.Giles@doa.nc.gov.
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