The Pine Bush High School Youth in Government group competed in the annual platform convention, held at Minisink Valley High School on Friday, Oct. 18. 

The Pine Bush delegation had two winning planks coming from the committees.

 

 

The platform convention is an event where students get the chance to write and present their own “planks.”  These planks are a declaration that speaks to a specific issue.  Members were asked to find a topic or issue that really affects them in some way, either positively or negatively. The students then research this topic and develop a solution to the issue that they believe will bring about the active change they want to see.

“In a sense, they are writing their own piece of legislation,” said Charlene Webster, the program’s advisor here in Pine Bush.

The students then determine which of the six committees their plank represents. These committees are: economic, foreign policy, environmental, social, local, and state.  Students are encouraged to team up with other students who have common interests and present together.

 

Due to the large number of schools involved – almost every Orange County school was represented – the students were divided into two groups – the Citizen’s Party and the People’s Party. The groups have no political affiliation; it’s simply a way to accommodate the number of students in attendance.

 

 Some of the  plank topics ranged from providing better nutrition to low income families, the effects on the environment from chemicals used in processed foods, providing rehabilitation for those in maximum security prisons, changing New York State bail reform laws, rules concerning transgender people in girls’ sports, minimum wage changes, supporting federal restrictions on marijuana, more education for student mental health in public schools, and ways to monitor our water supplies.

 

 

Pine Bush had two winning planks out of the committees: alleviating the college debt crisis and attempting to stop vaping among young people by stopping the importing of vaping materials from China.

The students who represented Pine Bush are:

Emilia Cruz, Sophia Huang, Khadijah Owens, Kayla DeWinter, Giuliana VanSickle, Lydia Luksha, Xuedan Lin, Madeline Doyle, Lillian Gerspach, Olivia Green, Ronny Mazza, Rachel Vinella, Jacob Shuh, Liam Blackwell,  William Chen,  Peyton Villalan, Christopher Reyes,   Sophia Aquino, Chloe Rosa, Joseph Dickman, Arianna Birch, Gavin Vendy, and Michaela Anevikul.

“I am honored to be advising such a strong group of young people this year,” said Ms. Webster.  “This year is the biggest group Pine Bush High School has had in its history, with 30 members. They were by far some of the best yet.”

Ms. Webster sees these students as leaders in the future.

“We as a school and community should be proud of the hard work, respectfulness, and dedication of this wonderful group of young people,” said Ms. Webster. “They will bring change for the future!”

 

Youth in Government is a program partnered with OU BOCES that offers students the chance to learn first-hand about the democratic process. Students participate in mock conventions, student-run elections, and also shadow elected officials from the local to national levels of government. 

 

 

“The day was great and very informative for our students,” said Ms. Webster. “They all expressed their excitement for the future conventions we will have this year. Our next convention is the Steering Convention in November. This convention allows students to become candidates for local, state, and national positions and run a campaign.”