By Sabrina SHELTON

Of the many calls to action this election season, one of the biggest calls is to the younger generation. With each election comes a gaggle of young, new, hopefully excited, voters. And if these first time voters already have experience with government policies and procedures, the more likely they are to make educated and informed decisions at the polls. 

CVHS junior Andre Mirzayan is one of those youths who has spent his time learning and practicing the intricacies of government through the YMCA’s youth and government program. This year it paid off for him when he was elected youth governor. The program is based on California’s governmental system, so the governor oversees the entire program, which he will do into his senior year of high school.

“I work with three other students, (the chief justice and two student board representatives), as well as the adults of the program throughout the year to try and improve the program and increase the impact delegates can have while being a part of youth and government,” Mirzayan said.

Interestingly, Mirzayan claimed that he never had major aspirations to lead the charge.

“But when this year started, I realized I was already halfway finished with the program I’ve grown to love throughout high school, and wanted to see how far I could get in the race,” he recalled.

Youth and government is in 38 states as well as D.C. But California’s program is the second largest in the nation with over 3,000 delegates and is one of the few that has three separate conferences students attend. Twice a year the California delegates go to Fresno and at the end of the school year they go to Sacramento for a week. Everyone is divided into different programs, like legislative houses, the court system, and constitutional convention, among others. They are all presented with a goal to accomplish then spend the first two Fresno trips preparing for their proposals in Sacramento.

For Mirzayan, the laundry list of duties and responsibilities is long.

“I go to various fundraising events, and have many board meetings I attend to improve Y&G. I also get to go to CONA (Committee on National Affairs),” he said.

Along with 23 other delegates from California, this conference is a national stage in which every person attending comes up with a proposal. Delegates then go through a total of five committees, as the proposals are debated upon and eliminated, resulting in the best proposals at the conference.

But among all of the travel, work, and red tape, Mirzayan is still eager and grateful.

“[The best thing] would have to be meeting so many people from across California. There are few programs that allow you to travel all around the state and build connections you would otherwise not have any access to,” he said. “I have so many friends from across California, and seeing so many perspectives and ideas has genuinely changed my life for the better.”

If only every government official could feel so happy.

  Sabrina SHELTON