JMHS Students Elected to YG Positions
By Samuel Womack The Youth in Government program, hosted by the YLA (Youth Leadership Association) for the state of West Virginia, places students in mock government roles and has them imitate the legislative and judicial processes carried out within the capitol complex in Charleston, West Virginia. This past program, which spanned over the weekend from April 22nd to the 24th, witnessed a number of students from the James Monroe High School YLA delegation elected to high profile positions within the program. The program itself has many positions that one may be elected to, spanning from Youth Council Presidents, officers that oversee councils, all the way to Youth Governor of the State of West Virginia, the chief officer of the legislative portion of the program itself. This past program, the JMHS delegation saw three of it’s members elected to positions, them being Matthew Meadows as Youth Governor, Samuel Womack as Youth President of the Senate, and Austin Toney as Youth Clerk of the House of Delegates. The role of each of these positions is important to the program, and undertakes many responsibilities vital to the success of Youth in Government. The Youth Governor takes on most of the responsibilities of the actual Governor and makes the final decision in the passage of bills. In addition to this, the position makes many decisions in regard to setting the program up and is the chief officer in the legislative portion of the program. The Youth President of the Senate, along with being Youth Lieutenant Governor, oversees debate in the senate and directs debate and voting procedures for bills. Finally, the Youth Clerk of the House of Delegates is responsible for keeping track of schedule, organizing bills that have passed, failed, and have not been heard on the floor, voting, and some other clerical duties that ensure the legislative process remains smooth and collected. With the election of these offices, it is the first time in the history of the JMHS delegation that the Youth Governor is a student at our local high school; it is also the first time that a Youth President of the Senate is from James Monroe. This is a historic moment for the delegation, as it is relatively young, having only attended this program for four years, as compared to some other delegations who have attended for over forty years. The outcome of the elections has been a great honor bestowed upon the local delegation, and will surely increase participation in this program. Monroe County Students attend trip to Washington
By Antonella Blanco To empower student leadership and encourage the pursuit of knowledge on a worldly level, the Greenbrier Valley Airport and a variety of sponsors funded the travel costs of twelve Monroe County students for a trip to Washington, D.C. The students departed from Greenbrier Valley Airport, and landed in Washington-Dulles Airport. The students embarked on an itinerary that made for a very full trip. The trip kicked off with a visit to the Ford's Theatre, where President Abraham Lincoln was famously assassinated. The Ford's Theatre offered a very thorough tour that allowed our students to be exposed to many of the facets of American History that they have not experienced before on a first-hand account. The Ford's Theatre was closely followed by the WWII monument and the White House after a lovely French dinner. Students were able to experience a complete tour of the National Capitol Building, courtesy of Senator Joe Manchin; senatorial interns guided students through the history of our nation’s Capital, once more exposing students to an in-depth account of history. Although the many different memorials and monuments were wonderful in their own respect, the visit to the National Holocaust Memorial Museum and Arlington National Cemetery left the biggest imprint on the students. It was truly moving to experience such a wonderful tribute to those who suffered through the labors of WWII and the Holocaust, and to witness first-hand the price of freedom and the Changing of the Guard. The remaining monuments consisted of the Library of Congress, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the Petersen House. Students were incredibly grateful for the experience, and grateful for the knowledge that they acquired over the time they spent in Washington. The Greenbrier Valley Airport intends on sponsoring another trip similar to the trip to Washington, to continue to expose rural students to outside experiences. |
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