Students transform model state government in their fashion
Sixty-one students from all four grades attended the Youth In Government conference. Seniors Jessica Mei, George Owen, William Gilliland, and Cooper Standard won the trivia tournament, and several students earned an Outstanding Statesman Award.
Sixty-one students from all four grades in the High School spent this past weekend in downtown Nashville attending the Youth In Government conference sponsored by the YMCA of Middle Tennessee’s Center for Civic Engagement. YIG is a simulation of Tennessee state government and a hands-on opportunity for students to learn about state government and the legislative process. Students from all over the state gathered to debate and discuss the bills they wrote. In doing so, they learned how to build a consensus across a wide political spectrum of beliefs and
experiences.
experiences.
Students new to the program participate in the Blue (no partisan connection intended) legislature, divided between the House of Representatives and Senate. In this component, novices to the program get to learn the basics of Tennessee law and parliamentary procedure. Experienced students participate in the White (experienced underclass students) and Red (seniors) legislatures, and are held to higher standards of parliamentary rules and legislative parameters, including the expectation to pass a budget for the state government. Students may also participate in a State Supreme Court component by arguing an appellate case before a panel of student justices.
Tennessee’s YIG program is one of the oldest and most popular in the country, and USN students have been participating in it for decades. Over the years, those alumni established USN’s reputation as a school whose students are ready, even as novices, to raise the expectations for discussions over law and policy, and this year’s USN delegation lived up to that tradition.In the Blue House of Representatives, sophomores David Luffman, Blake Perdikis, and Lillian Worley and ninth-grader Emma Harris were nominated for Outstanding Statesman Awards, while ninth graders Erica Friedman, Lauren French, and Gabby Floyd each won an Outstanding Statesman Award for their participation in debate and the presentation of their bills.
In the Blue Senate, sophomore Aasha Zinke was nominated for an Outstanding Statesman Award, while her partner Arushi Mehta won an Outstanding Statesman Award.
In the White House of Representatives, USN students dominated the docket and the debate. Sophomores Nicholas Clancy and Victoria Christianson-Galina won an Outstanding Bill Award for their bill to allow legal emancipation of pregnant teenagers; sophomores Nick Key and Wei Dai also won an Outstanding Bill Award for their bill to allot Tennessee’s Electoral College votes to reflect proportionally the results of the popular vote. Sophomores Tatiana Barbic and Clancy were nominated for Outstanding Statesman Awards, while their classmates Yoshi D’Souza, Olivia Rhee, Christianson-Galina, and Dai all earned Outstanding Statesman Awards for their efforts.
In the Red House of Representatives, senior Deviyani Bajpai and juniors Daniel Jacobs, Zoe Light, Evan Rork, and Jacob Wolfson were nominated for Outstanding Statesman awards. Juniors Annie French and Haley Hall each brought home an Outstanding Statesman Award! Seniors Elijah Hong and Elizabeth Saum also earned an Outstanding Bill Award for their bill to guarantee medical care for inmates in Tennessee prison facilities.
In the Red Senate, seniors William Gilliland and William Bradshaw were nominated for Outstanding Statesman Awards, while senior Cooper Standard won an Outstanding Statesman Award.
This year’s USN students clearly influenced the legislative components. Based on their rankings by legislative committees, USN bills were three of the top five bills on the dockets in the Red, White, and Blue Houses. Two of the first three bills in the Red Senate were USN bills, while the only USN bill in the White Senate was ranked fifth on the docket.
In the Supreme Court, junior Caroline Sigmund and sophomore Ariel Hong reached the Final Case as a lawyer team based on their arguments of an appellate case.
This year’s awards and achievements were rounded out by senior Henry Standard repeating as a unanimous selection to represent Tennessee at the YMCA’s Conference on National Affairs, which brings together the ‘best of the best’ YIG participants from all over the country. Last year at CONA, Henry won an Outstanding Statesman Award, and since he is a returning delegate, he will be eligible for leadership positions at this prestigious event.
YIG participants from all schools elected officers to facilitate the conference sessions and components. This year, Henry Standard was Floor Leader of the Red Senate, while Elijah Hong was Floor Leader of the Red House.
A record number of USN students ran for office this year, some of them unopposed. Everyone who ran won their election! In the Supreme Court, junior Hannah Laibinis won her election to Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, while Neha Mehta won her race to be the Clerk of the Supreme Court. Sigmund will be next year's Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court! The Speaker Pro Tempore of the Red House will be sophomore Sam Horner; the Floor Leader of the White House will be sophomore Wei Dai; the Sergeant-at-arms of the White House will be Nick Key. The White Senate will be an USN-dominated affair, including Lieutenant Governor sophomore Claire Kim, Speaker Pro Tempore Yoshi D’Souza, and Floor Leader Nicholas Clancy!
The icing on the cake this year was USN's return to championship form in the YIG Bowl tournament, led by seniors Jessica Mei, George Owen, William Gilliland, and Cooper Standard.
What a year for USN at YIG. Please congratulate these students when you see them.
More USN News
List of 3 news stories.
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Athletes beyond Edgehill
Read MoreIt is common to have five or more University School of Nashville student-athletes sign college athletic commitment letters each year, and this year, USN saw eight more student-athletes commit to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level. USN has several alumni participating in their chosen sport at the collegiate level from the Classes of 2021 through 2025. Continue reading to learn more about where Tigers are competing beyond Edgehill. -
Tech Bytes: Tips for summer
Middle School Educational Technologist Kari Luecke shares must-read articles and suggests options to declutter your smartphone and reduce screen time this summer.Read More -
6th graders head to capitol for spirited debate
Read MoreDuring a fun field trip to wrap up the year, students were able to debate on the House floor during a visit to the Tennessee State Capitol. See more photos from their final lesson here.
Contact
Edgehill Campus
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
USN Mission:
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.