LEADERSHIP FOR THE NEXT GENERATION. Youth & Government Parent Handbook YMCA OF PIERCE AND KITSAP COUNTIES

Transcription

1 LEADERSHIP FOR THE NEXT GENERATION Youth & Government Parent Handbook YMCA OF PIERCE AND KITSAP COUNTIES Washington State 68 th Youth Legislature May 6-9, 2015

2 Welcome Youth & Government Parents, Thank you for choosing the YMCA Youth & Government program for your teen. There are countless teen leadership programs across the country, but the YMCA Youth & Government program is distinctly different. Our program focuses on the four goals of YMCA teen leadership programs: leadership development, personal growth, service to others, and social development. This program is also framed around our four core values of Honesty, Respect, Caring and Responsibility. Washington State Youth & Government has been a longtime standing, non-partisan, civic engagement program for teens, giving them hands on experience to the inner workings of our state government by participating in a model legislature. Each year hundreds of teens, in grades 8-12, participate on a local level to gain knowledge on how democracy works by learning how ideas become bills and bills become law, parliamentary procedure, debate and persuasion skills, and the art of compromise/communication. By using our four core values as teaching tools, our delegation meetings and district events help prepare the teens in their roles as they embark on their adventure to our state capitol. Honesty All delegates are asked to research current events, take a stand on the issue, and write a piece of legislation. Intellectual honesty and a strong sense of academic ethics are critical to the Y&G process of research and debate. Respect Youth & Government delegates will encounter arguments and positions that are at times contrary to their own personal beliefs or feelings. Teens learn to confront these ideas head on in a respectful manner without the need for personal attack on other delegates. Caring Teens become members of a delegation that supports and at times will challenge their beliefs and will provide a platform for their voices to be heard by other delegates, adult advisors and elected officials. Our Caring Adult Role Models are there to provide guidance, support, structure and boundaries. Responsibility A Youth & Government delegation only works as a cohesive unit when each member contributes to the goals for the program. Delegates are taught and are expected to act with a Servant Leader s heart. It is the responsibility of every delegate and advisor to measure their actions and decisions against the standards of Servant Leadership. In this handbook, you will find basic information about the program as well as some details regarding your teen s experience. Please feel free to contact me at or dbrevik@ymcapkc.org, if you have any further questions. Thank you again for choosing the YMCA Youth & Government program. Don Brevik Teen Leadership Director and Lead Advisor

3 Washington State YMCA Youth & Government Vision Statement New generations of ethical and informed, public-minded citizens Mission Statement Teach democratic values and skills to youth through hands-on experiences Specific Program Goals To foster the development of citizen responsibility To develop social competence, problem-solving ability, and communication skills To encourage self reliance and a sense of purpose for youth To provide training and experience through active participation in the three branches of government: Legislative, Executive, and Judicial To stimulate careful deliberation of social issues and their possible resolutions To create opportunities to hear and respect varying viewpoints To inspire young people to be responsible & act with integrity To apply ethical values in making public policy To teach the YMCA core values of Honesty, Caring, Respect, and Responsibility Motto Democracy must be learned by each generation

4 Historical Review of Youth Legislature The very first YMCA Youth Legislature was held in New York State in In 1947, under the leadership of a prominent attorney named Frank S. Bayley, Jr., the Pacific Northwest Area Council of YMCAs sent two young YMCA branch executives, Dick MacMorran and Vern Emery, to observe the New Jersey program. They reported back that the program was well suited for Washington s YMCA youth work and that they would like to start chapters in their YMCA s based in Seattle. That fall, Bayley and the Pacific Northwest Area Council founded the Washington YMCA Youth Legislature and formed a committee to organize the first legislative session for youth in the spring of John M. McClelland, Jr., a newspaper publisher from Longview, served on the 1948 Youth & Government Statewide Committee. He was joined by other prominent business and government leaders in the state to provide the policy and financial leadership to launch the program. Details of those early years are sketchy, as very few historical documents remain. However, the first YMCA Youth Legislature occurred April 16-17, 1948 at the State Capitol. There were 21 Senate bills and 54 House bills submitted by 150 high school students from 70 Hi-Y and Tri-Hi-Y YMCA youth clubs. Senators and Representatives were elected by the Hi-Y and Tri-Hi-Y clubs in the local communities. Dr. George Gallup assisted students in conducting polls on local, state and national issues as a means of generating ideas for bills. Bill topics have never been censored by the program committee. Instead, the time honored application of democracy itself determines what legislation will be recorded for posterity for the years to come. The first Youth Governor was Walter Becker from Spokane. Several of the bills discussed at that first legislature proposed lowering the voting age to eighteen. Others would authorize the use of school buses to take students to extracurricular activities after school hours and one proposed changing the state constitution to make education the first claim on the revenues of the general fund all things that have become current laws in Washington State. The 67th session of the Washington Youth Legislature brought 440 students to the Washington State Capitol Campus in Thirty-three pieces of legislation were passed by delegates and supported by Youth Governor Dino Nzanga from the Dale Turner Delegation. Legislation ranged in scope from lowering the driving age for agricultural workers, to eliminating the initiative process and the Electoral College. Next year Youth Governor Jade Chowning will lead students into the 68th year of the Youth & Government program in Washington. There are many reasons why YMCA Youth & Government has remained so successful over the past 67 years. Foremost has to be a deep and abiding belief in the importance of democracy to our nation and the realization that come to participants by actually doing it, that each individual in society is responsible for helping to find solutions to problems and for taking part in a democratic way of life.

5 Historical Review of Youth Legislature for the YMCA in Pierce County The YMCA Youth & Government program within the Tacoma YMCA got its start with local Hi-Y clubs at Stadium and Lincoln High Schools. Three years later, Clover Park joined the ranks followed by Franklin Pierce in In 1958, local Tacoma area Tri-Hi-Y clubs started participating in Youth Legislature. In 1961 the local Hi-Y and Tri-Hi-Y clubs dropped from an all time high of twelve clubs down to only one, the Wopaclo Tri-Hi-Y club from Franklin Pierce High School. The following year, the Cardinal Hi-Y club (Franklin Pierce) joined the Wopaclo Tri_Hi-Y club and were the only groups from the Tacoma Y during the years of Then the Eastside Hi-Y club joined the two for two years. The 39 th Youth Legislature in 1970 was the last year that Hi-Y and Tri-Hi-Y clubs participated as a strictly school based YMCA program. The Tacoma YMCA did not have any Hi-Y or Tri-Hi-Y clubs participating in the 40 th and 41 st Youth Legislature and in 1974, the Tacoma YMCA started a delegation within its walls with 12 teens from local area high schools all meeting at the old downtown Y. Listed below is a rough account of the number of Hi-Y, Tri-H-Y participants, any Major Officers and the position they held from the Tacoma area. Please note that there is not enough information in regards to the actual number of teens from each club/delegation during the early years because it is unknown if the clubs sent only one delegate to represent their club and present their strongest piece of legislation. It isn t until the mid 70 s when numbers became more accurate for the Tacoma YMCA. From the first local delegation to 2014, there have been over 1050 teens from the YMCA in Pierce County who have participated in Youth & Government. Major Officers from the Y in Pierce County over the years include the following: Year Major Officers from the Pierce County Area 1955 Youth Governor Richard Miers 1978 Lt. Governor Scott Sutherland 1979 Speaker of the House Larry Steele 1983 Sec. of State Shannon Thorton 1986 Speaker Pro-Tem Rian Booker 1987 Lt. Governor Mark Stivers 1994 Speaker Pro-Tem Zemorah Hornbaker 2006 President. Pro Tem - Josh Allen 2007 Postmaster General Dani Ferrell 2009 Governor Phil Gardner Lt. Governor Naomi Meyer Speaker of House Kailyn Schmidt Postmaster General Dea Law 2010 Postmaster General Paul Geye 2013 Secretary of State ShayLuJuan Williams Attorney General Alex Halladay Chief Lobbyist Executive Liam McCormack 2014 Speaker of the House Andrew Reed 2015 Lt. Governor Katie Jackson Chief Lobbyist Executive Alex Baier

6 Participation in YMCA Youth & Government Any student enrolled in grades 8-12 in the state of Washington is eligible to participate in YMCA Youth Legislature. Students must be affiliated with a YMCA, high school or home school Youth Legislature delegation. International students and/or exchange students may visit and participate in YMCA Youth & Government in any of the roles open to delegates in their grade level. Each student in YMCA Youth Legislature must meet the minimum requirements stated below to be eligible to attend the YMCA Youth Legislature Session in Olympia: 1. Attend at least one district event. (For our district, we require teens participate in two district events. See delegation calendar for district events) 2. Be a member in good standing with the student s local delegation. 3. Have on file with the State Office the original signed Medical Release and Code of Conduct and Dress Contract. 4. Pay all state, district and delegation fees in a timely manner. (see delegation calendar for payment dates) 5. Submit all written materials/paperwork required by the YMCA, State Office or district coordinator to home corps advisor (i.e. registration forms, legislative bills, press, lobbyist materials) by the due dates. (see delegation calendar for details) Each delegation is responsible for maintaining a ratio of at least one adult advisor to every ten students (1:10) during all local, district and statewide Youth Legislature events. At least 50% of a delegation s adult advisors to the session in Olympia are 21 years of age or older by the time the session begins. All Advisors who do not meet the 21 years of age requirement or who have not been out of the program for at least two years must be approved by the State Office. Student Leadership The YMCA Youth Legislative Session is intended to be a student-run activity. All participants should take responsibility for the smooth and effective operation of the session. The student leadership, elected and appointed, has the major responsibility for the session. Those students who assume leadership positions will be expected to take that responsibility seriously, train for, and perform the duties of their chosen office. They must be familiar with the requirements of the role and be willing to take on ALL THE RESPONSIBILITIES of that role. All elected and appointed student leaders (with the exception of the Major Office Candidates, Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms, Fair Elections Commissioners, and Assistant Reading Clerks) MUST attend the spring leadership training weekend in April. (See delegation calendar for dates) Students running for office must be made aware of the additional responsibilities and time commitments that come with a leadership position. These responsibilities may include, but are not limited to: attending Leadership Training, attending Program Committee Meetings and attending other program events throughout the year. Replacement of District Elected Officers (including Major Office Candidates): Elected student officers who, for any reason, are unable to fulfill their responsibilities will be replaced by the person who received the next highest number of votes at their District Event. Replacement of Major Officers: Elected Major Officers who are not able to fulfill their year-long term will be replaced by the candidate who received the next highest amount of votes during the previous year s statewide election.

7 SUMMARY OF POSITIONS & REQUIREMENTS POSITION GRADE LEVEL YEARS IN PROGRAM REQUIRED MATERIALS **GOVERNOR 12 1 SEE SPECIFIC POSITION REQUIREMENTS ** ATTORNEY GENERAL 12 1 SEE SPECIFIC POSITION REQUIREMENTS **SEC. OF STATE 12 1 SEE SPECIFIC POSITION REQUIREMENTS **DIRECTOR OF ELECTIONS 12 1 SEE SPECIFIC POSITION REQUIREMENTS **PRESIDING OFFICERS 12 1 SEE SPECIFIC POSITION REQUIREMENTS 8 TH GRADE HOUSE/SENATE/PAGE 8 TH ONLY N/A 8 TH GRADE PROPOSAL PAGE 8-12 N/A LEGISLATIVE BILL, ARTICLE OR POSITION PAPER #LOBBYIST 9-12 N/A 2 CO-SPONSORED BILLS & POSITION PAPER #PRESS CORPS 9-12 N/A ARTICLE #O BRIEN HOUSE 9-12 N/A LEGISLATIVE BILL #CHERBERG SENATE 9-12 N/A LEGISLATIVE BILL #REPRESENTATIVE N/A LEGISLATIVE BILL #SENATOR N/A LEGISLATIVE BILL *GOVERNOR S CANDIDATE 11 1 CANDIDATE STATEMENT & PHOTO *SEC. OF STATE CANDIDATE 11 1 CANDIDATE STATEMENT & PHOTO *LT. GOVERNOR CANDIDATE 11 1 CANDIDATE STATEMENT & PHOTO *SPEAKER OF HOUSE CANDIDATE 11 1 CANDIDATE STATEMENT & PHOTO GOVERNOR S CABINET APPLICATION PROCESS **POSTMASTER GENERAL (PAGING) LEGISLATIVE BILL, ARTICLE OR POSITION PAPER **EDITOR IN CHIEF (REPORTING) ARTICLE **CHIEF LOBBYIST OFFICER (LOBBYING) 2 CO-SPONSORED BILLS & POSITION PAPER *FAIR ELECTIONS COMMISSIONER NONE *ASST. ATTORNEY GENERAL LEGISLATIVE BILL, ARTICLE OR POSITION PAPER *ASST. LOBBYIST OFFICER CO-SPONSORED BILLS & POSITION PAPER *ASST. EDITOR ARTICLE *ASST. POSTMASTER GENERAL (PAGING) LEGISLATIVE BILL, ARTICLE OR POSITION PAPER *SEC. OF THE SENATE LEGISLATIVE BILL *CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE LEGISLATIVE BILL *PARLIAMENTARIAN LEGISLATIVE BILL *SERGEANT AT ARMS N/A LEGISLATIVE BILL *ASST. SERGEANT AT ARMS N/A LEGISLATIVE BILL *READING CLERK N/A LEGISLATIVE BILL *ASST. READING CLERK N/A LEGISLATIVE BILL *CHAPLIN N/A LEGISLATIVE BILL *COMMITTEE CHAIR LEGISLATIVE BILL *COMMITTEE VICE CHAIR LEGISLATIVE BILL *8 TH GRADE SENATE CHAIR LEGISLATIVE BILL *8 TH GRADE HOUSE CHAIR LEGISLATIVE BILL *PHOTOGRAPHER N/A PORTFOLIO/MUST HAVE OWN CAMERA *SEC. OF THE CHERBERG SENATE LEGISLATIVE BILL *CHIEF CLERK OF O BRIEN HOUSE LEGISLATIVE BILL *8 TH GRADE SENATE CLERK (8 TH GRADE SENATE) LEGISLATIVE BILL *8 TH GRADE HOUSE CLERK (8 TH GRADE HOUSE) LEGISLATIVE BILL *=ELECTED AT DISTRICT EVENTS **=ELECTED DURING SESSION IN OLYMPIA #=BASED ON DELEGATION ALLOCATION CHART

8 Sample Program Schedule during Youth Legislature Wednesday 9:30-10:45 Registration 11:00-11:45 New Advisor Orientation/8th Grade/Page Orientation 11:45-12:15 All advisor meeting 12:15-1:15 Lunch on your own 1:15-1:45 Area Orientations 2:00-4:30 Legislative Committees in Session 4:45-5:45 Rules Committee (dinner provided) 5:45-6:45 Committee Chair Activity 4:45-6:45 Delegation Dinner 5:45-6:45 Governor s Cabinet Reception 6:45-7:15 House & Senate Organizational Sessions 7:15-8:30 Opening Joint Session 8:30 Delegates to hotels Thursday 9:00-11:30 First regular session 10:00-10:30 All Advisors Meeting I 10:45-11:15 All Advisor Meeting II 11:30-12:30 Pictures with Governors 12:30-2:00 Lunch on Your Own CONA Delegate Meeting 2:00-5:30 First regular session continued 5:30-6:45 State Reception & Candidate Speeches 7:00-8:45 First regular session continued 8:45 Delegates to hotels Friday 9:00-11:30 Second regular session 9:30-4:00 Election of Major Officers 10:00-10:30 All Advisors Meeting I 10:45-11:15 All Advisor Meeting II 11:30-1:00 Lunch On Your Own Program Committee Meeting 1:00-4:30 Second regular session continued 2:00 Governor s Press Conference 4:30-8:00 Dinner at host homes 8:00-11:00 Youth Governor s Ball 11:00 Delegates to hotels Saturday 9:00-11:00 Third Regular Session 9:30-10:00 All Advisors Meeting I 10:15-10:45 All Advisor Meeting II 11:30-12:30 Closing Joint Session 12:30 Session Adjourns

9 DELEGATE Code of Conduct and Dress Program Purpose The purpose of the Washington YMCA Youth Legislature Program is to develop dedication to the values of democracy and an awareness of the need for participation and leadership in society. The YMCA believes strongly in the development of character through the principles of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility. It is expected every delegate and advisor abide by this contract. Your cooperation is mandatory, and will help ensure continuation of the privilege of using the State Capitol, and other facilities utilized during the program. Program Ground Rules No Alcohol No Drugs No Sexual activity (including but not limited to certain types of dancing) No Weapons No Smoking or use of other type of tobacco products No Violent or malicious behavior Conduct at Youth & Government Activities Delegates and advisors are required to abide by all Washington State, Thurston County and City of Olympia laws. Food, drinks (including water), and gum are not allowed in the House or Senate Chambers or any hearing rooms. Be sure to dispose of trash appropriately inside and outside of the buildings. Delegates will not be allowed to drive personal vehicles or vans during Youth Legislature. If delegates must transport themselves to the conference, they must turn vehicle keys in to advisors upon arrival. The vehicle is to remain parked at the hotel during the duration of the Youth Legislature. Be courteous and respectful of elected state officials, legislators and legislative staff, Youth & Government staff, advisors, volunteers, hotel staff and delegates. Accept responsibility for your own behavior and maintain proper decorum as a member of the delegation while on campus or any area utilized during Youth Legislature. Unnecessary loudness, yelling, screaming, inappropriate physical contact, or irresponsible behavior will not be permitted on campus/hotel, inside the Capitol building/hotel or other areas in which you are representing the YMCA Youth & Government Program. Be punctual to scheduled activities and remain present until the activity is complete. Lateness or failure to attend Youth Legislature activities will result in a minimum penalty of the entire delegation s loss of Premier Delegation status. Maintain appropriate and professional behavior at all times. Maintain curfew as defined in program schedule. Use of the Legislative Building for the annual Youth Governor s Ball is a privilege. All advisors and delegates are to keep in mind that this is a YMCA program and questionable or lewd behavior is not congruent with the YMCA Core Values and those choosing not to adhere to appropriate decorum will be asked to leave the dancing area. Report any problems or concerns immediately to an advisor or Youth & Government staff. *Failure to comply with any of the above standards may result in your expulsion from the program and your dismissal from the premises. Transportation will be arranged at your own expense.

10 Dress Code for Delegates and Advisors You are expected to uphold a professional appearance, similar to rules upheld by members of the State House of Representatives and Senate during all committee and floor sessions. You should wear professional clothing that would be deemed appropriate for a legislator or business professional. If you are unsure if what you are going to wear is acceptable, ask an advisor prior to your arrival. Acceptable Women s Attire: modest dress, business suit, skirt, slacks, blouse, sweater, or jacket and dress shoes. If wearing open-toed shoes, socks/nylons must be worn. Flip-flops are not appropriate foot attire. Ladies must be covered to the knee and no mid-drift or cleavage will be shown. (Think of what you would wear to a job interview.) Acceptable Men s Attire: a suit, slacks and sport coat, or slacks and sweater/sweater vest, and dress shoes must be worn on the floor at all times. A collared shirt and tie must be worn with any of the before mentioned combinations. A belt or suspenders must also be worn. Unsuitable Clothing: Sweats, T-shirts, denim, corduroy, skirts not to the knee, leggings, shorts, miniskirts, sleeveless tops (unless covered by sweater), inappropriate or revealing clothing, clothing unsuitable for a dress occasion, sneakers, flip-flops or casual sandals. Sunglasses and hats MUST be removed before entering any buildings. If you aren t sure, ask. Pages are allowed to wear nice-looking tennis shoes. All committee and floor sessions: As is true with the Real Legislature, advisors and students who are not suitably dressed will not be allowed on the floor. The Sergeant at Arms is the final authority on appropriate dress. Governor s Ball: Modest semi-formal to formal attire is required. Dresses, skirts or slacks are appropriate for women and clothing that reveals cleavage, has an open back or slit above the knee is not appropriate. Suits or shirt and tie for gentlemen are appropriate. Session attire is acceptable and session dress code will be enforced. If delegates/advisors are not appropriately dressed, they will not be allowed into the ball. The following exceptions apply: sleeveless dresses are ok and nylons do not have to be worn with open-toed shoes. Supervision during Youth Legislature Events A ratio of 1 adult advisor/chaperone to 10 students is maintained at all times during all Youth and Government district and state events. Advisors/Chaperones are expected to attend all event activities and meetings students should not be in attendance at any portion of an event without an adult advisor/chaperone. All adult advisors/chaperones are 21 years of age or older, have gone through a background check and have completed our Abuse Prevention Training as required.

11 Youth Legislature Program Events Listed below are the various events that occur each year both during and separate from the Youth Legislative Session. Governor s Breakfast and Proclamation Signing: This is the first official Youth & Government event of the year and is attended by program participants, volunteers, program supporters, and Washington State elected officials. The Proclamation Signing typically takes place early on a weekday morning in February (see program calendar) at the Legislative Building. The Governor, Youth Governor, and Secretary of State sign the Proclamation calling the Youth Session to order and youth have the opportunity to mingle with elected officials. Anyone interested in or related to the program in any way are encouraged to attend. This is also a great opportunity for students to tour the capitol and to arrange meetings with their representatives or other elected officials. Leadership Training: The weekend prior to the Youth Legislative Session, the elected officers come together to plan for session and learn how to execute their specific jobs. Advisors train students in their respective areas and leaders begin to learn how to work within their groups. Leadership Training is required for most students in elected and appointed leadership positions. See the specific position description to find out for sure if your students must attend. Governor s Ball: The Governor s Ball takes place on the last evening of the Youth Legislature and is held in the Rotunda of the Legislative Building. It is required that all students, staff, and volunteers attend. Dress Code is semi-formal to formal and anyone not adhering to dress code will be sent away to change (see code of conduct and dress). While at the Governor s Ball, students may dance to music mixed by the DJ, watch a movie, or hang out in the game room. The home delegation of the current Governor is responsible for decoration (supplies and preparation) and clean-up of the ball. All Advisors are responsible for chaperoning this activity and for setting up clear guidelines for their students before arriving at the dance. Governor s Cabinet Reception: The Governor s Cabinet Reception is a formal venue for the Youth & Government Program to thank its major donors. All individuals and groups who give at Leadership Giving Levels ($1,000+) to the Annual Campaign are invited to spend time with the Major Officers and elected officials before Opening Joint Session on Wednesday evening. This event is not open to all students and Advisors and is attended by invitation only. If you would like to find out more about this event or the Annual Campaign contact the state office. State Reception The State Reception (formerly known as the Lobbyist Reception ) generally takes place on the first or second evening of session. Delegates are encouraged to bring displays, photographs, mementos, stories, etc. from their home region of the state to share with others. Items will be on display in the Rotunda for the duration of Session. Dinner is provided during this reception for all delegates and Advisors. **If you have questions regarding any of these events please contact the YMCA Youth and Government State Office at (360)

12 District Events Our district, District 2, holds two main events. These events are designed to create a sense of community, give delegates additional information/training in their area of interest, hold elections for allocated leadership positions and to assist in preparing our district delegates for the Youth Legislature experience. Permission slips for all district events will be given out to the delegates 2-3 weeks prior to the event. Please refer to our delegation calendar for specific dates and locations of events. State Map with District Lines The Washington State YMCA Youth & Government program is offered to teens across our state. Teens are part of either a YMCA delegation, public school delegation or home school delegation. To better assist advisors in their role, the state has been divided into 5 districts. Each district has a volunteer district coordinator who works with local delegations throughout the year. The delegations from the YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties are located in both District 2 and District 3. (Please see map for district details). District 1: Snohomish/Skagit/Whatcom Counties District 2: King/Pierce Counties District 3: Coast, Peninsula & SW WA District 4: Eastern Washington District 5: Spokane County

13 Delegation Basics The YMCA Youth & Government program is open to teens in grades Delegation meeting days/times vary depending on which branch your teen is a delegate in. Please see delegation calendar on our website for current meeting dates and locations. Our Y based delegations are comprised of public, private and home school teens. During our delegation meetings the teens can expect to experience the following: Improved public speaking/debate skills The art of compromise and the importance of teamwork Debate current issues facing our state, nation and globe Meet other teens from our district and around the state The difference between the 3 types of legislation they may write Where to look for bill ideas How to write a piece of legislation How a bill becomes a law Proper parliamentary procedures The various roles they can take on during Youth Legislature Teens within our delegations may have differing political viewpoints that span the spectrum. Our delegations are nonpartisan based, which assists in challenging, clarifying, and enhancing overall debate of the issues. Our mantra is: Debate the bill, not the person. Delegation Expectations It is expected that each delegate and advisor, not only adhere to the YMCA Youth and Government s Code of Conduct during state and district sponsored events, but they also hold themselves to a higher standard within our delegation. Because of the diverse makeup of all delegates and advisors, their backgrounds, experiences, and political views, it is expected that each person will be treated with respect. As a delegation, we will work on the building of a cohesive group that focuses on the YMCA core values of Honesty, Respect, Responsibility, and Caring of each person along with a Servant Leaders heart. Any actions or behaviors that do not uphold our core values or build up our delegation as a whole will not be tolerated. All delegates and advisors are made aware of our SAD-TV rules early on in the program. No Sex, Alcohol, Drugs, Tobacco, Violence/Malicious Behavior. Those choosing to break any of these rules during YMCA programming will be removed from the program. Sex includes, but not limited to: any physical sexual behavior between individuals, sexual explicit comments/innuendos, and/or sharing of any sexual images. Alcohol includes, but not limited to: purchasing, consuming or distributing any alcoholic beverage. Drugs includes, but not limited to: purchasing, distribution, or use of any illegal substance or prescription drug not prescribed to the intended user. Tobacco includes, but not limited to: purchasing, distribution or use of any tobacco product. Violence/Malicious Behavior includes, but not limited to: any physical contact that causes injury to others or self, any threat of physical injury to others or self, any intentional bullying, name calling or ostracizing of any delegate/advisor.

14 Youth & Government Cost The cost for YMCA members is $420 and Community members $445. Financial assistance is also available. Payments are spread out over the school year as to not create a burden on families. Fees include: transportation to/from all state & district events, state & district fees, hotel, delegation materials, bill book, and conference memento. Payment schedule YMCA Members: $420 Community Members: $445 $75 Deposit October 2014 $60 February 2015 $80 Deposit October 2014 $65 February 2015 $65 November 2014 $50 March 2015 $70 November 2014 $50 March 2015 $60 December 2014 $50 April 2015 $65 December 2014 $50 April 2015 $60 January 2015 $65 January 2015 *Please add an additional late registration fee of $25.00 if registering after Jan. 31, The payments are scheduled according to payment due dates from the Youth & Government state office and our district. Termination from the Youth & Government program requires that all fees are due as of cancellation date. Example: If you were to drop from the program on January 25 th and the last payment was for December, then the January payment would need to be paid since cancelation was after the January payment due date. Please note that a written cancellation notice with participant and parent/guardian signature is required to officially cancel if participant is under the age of 18 years old. Fundraising Opportunity Teens may also become a Teen Leader for the Kid s Night Out (KNO) program. Kid s Night Out is a monthly overnight at the Morgan and Lakewood Family YMCA s for youth between the ages of 5-10 years old. Teens are the group leaders, unit leaders and program area leaders for KNO. Each KNO a teen works can earn them credit that is kept on file here at the YMCA. The credit scale for the KNO generally ranges between $30 and $40 with the assumption is that everyone begins with the full amount available. The amount of credit awarded is determined by the enrollment of children and set criteria based on attitude, judgment, being on time, bringing required belongings, etc. Credit earned by working a Kids' Night Out may be used only for designated YMCA Teen Leadership Development Programs, special activities, and leadership events. The school year programs are the Pacific Region Conference (PRC), Youth & Government, Youth Leadership Development Club and Youth Leadership Development Conference, certain training workshops and special events. All teens interested in this fundraising opportunity must participate in a training event prior to working Kid s Night Out. Program Contact information: YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties Lead Advisor Don Brevik dbrevik@ymcapkc.org