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State YMCA of Georgia, Inc.

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ImageJunior Youth Assembly is designed to give the student participants an experience in the operation of Georgia's State Government.      

The actual Georgia General Assembly meets annually for 40 days. Whereas Junior Youth Assembly meets annually for 3 days. Therefore, Junior Youth Assembly must take several shortcuts in order to accomplish the bill-making process. However, regardless of the shortcuts, every effort is made to pattern the Junior Youth Assembly as close as possible to the "real thing."

Participants have opportunities to serve as legislators in the House and Senate. The Model Assembly program itself is conducted almost entirely by students, so many leadership opportunities exist for interested delegates. The possibilities for discovery are virtually limitless.

This program provides unique, hands-on, opportunities for the young people of this state to learn about their government.  The State YMCA of Georgia has the honor to use the facilities of the Georgia State Capitol Complex. Very few people have experienced the thrill of making a speech in the Senate or the exhilaration of presenting a case before the Supreme Court. Youth Assembly offers students these and many, many more wonderful experiences.

While the primary goal of this program is the promotion of responsible citizenship, students come away from Junior Youth Assembly with much more than a greater knowledge of the inner-workings of government. Participants sharpen their leadership skills and improve their problem solving and critical thinking abilities while they become more adept at debate and public speaking. Students' self-esteem is improved as they learn that their ideas do matter and that they can make a difference in their world. As Junior Youth Assembly participants experience what it is like to run the State of Georgia for a few days, they also learn a great deal about themselves - their abilities, their interests, and their responsibilities as citizens of our participatory democracy.