Burnsville students received awards, elected to leadership positions at 69th annual Youth In Government conference 

Along with students from across the region, Burnsville High School students participated in the Youth in Government (YIG) conference, held Jan. 5-8 in Minneapolis. It was an immersive four-day conference that included focused discussions on current issues, social events, small-group reflection and hands-on leadership development.

Students in grades 8-12 join or form a YIG delegation in the fall and hold meetings for their group leading up to the conference. High school students can choose to serve as legislators, judges, attorneys, lobbyists, media representatives, or cabinet members, while eighth-grade students participate as members of the Leadership Corps.

In November, delegates from Minnesota as well as western Wisconsin engaged in online training to prepare for the conference in January.

“Our students were leaders in all areas of the Youth in Government conference, including the media, executive cabinets, the courts and the legislatures,” said BHS social studies teacher and YIG advisor Colleen Coleman. “They used their voices to speak on issues that matter to them and future generations. They left with a deeper understanding of democracy and the importance of civic engagement.”

John Goettl, senior

John Goettl has been involved in YIG for 5 years. This was John’s last conference and he was elected Speaker of Sanford House. Over the four days, John led delegates in the floor sessions and made several speeches. Many issues were discussed, from physician-assisted suicide and the legalization of marijuana to alternatives to salted roads, gun control and more. 

As Speaker of Sanford House, John presided over 132 people during the floor session. He controlled what bills were being read and set the rules and order of the bills. He also appointed people to committee roles. 

Over the years, he has won awards for outstanding bill writing.

This year, he really enjoyed the floor sessions. For John, it was really fun just being in front of the room and leading people. 

What is a takeaway from your experience in YIG that you can apply to your future?

“There are two things. One is leadership. This year really taught me how to delegate and how to trust the people who are working under you,” said John. “The second thing is working with other people who don’t share your opinions or who are not like you at all.”   

Reilly Klug, senior

Reilly Klug has been involved in YIG for four years. This was Reilly’s last conference, and she was elected Commissioner for the Lieutenant Governors’ Cabinet, which is essentially a lobbyist on behalf of the Lieutenant Governor. In this position, she provided testimony to bills that younger kids wrote. 

Reilly listened to a variety of topics during the conference. There was discussion about stand your ground laws, taxes, school shootings and sexual assault.

This year, she was awarded Outstanding Delegate, which was voted on by her peers. 

She also learned about a lot of interesting issues related specifically to Minnesota, like wildlife, the economy, clean energy, public transportation and education. 

What is a takeaway from your experience in YIG that you can apply to your future?

“The genuine connections that are made with very intelligent people my age who are passionate and know a lot about government,” said Reilly. “I will absolutely consider running for elected office in the future. I would love to be in the MN House of Representatives and hopefully later in my life a congressperson or a governor of a state.”

Isabella Ly, senior 

Isabella Ly has been Involved in YIG for five years. This was Isabella’s last conference, and she was involved in organizing the conference. During the conference, she was very busy running around and making sure things were running smoothly. She also did a lot of scheduling for each day of the conference.

Isabella was elected to the position of Chief Judge of the District Court. She is also Vice President of the BHS Steering Committee for YIG. 

One of the highlights for Isabella was attending the town hall. Since voting responsibly is very important to her, it was a good opportunity for her to be informed about all of the candidates and their policies. 

What is a takeaway from your experience in YIG that you can apply to your future?

“The best part of YIG are the friendships that are made throughout the conference.”

Ajmal Abdirahman, sophomore

This was Ajmal’s first time at the YIG conference. She found a group of people right away to hang out with at the conference. Since this was her first year, she was not appointed to any particular positions and did not run for anything. 

She received the Best Bill Award. Her bill was to accommodate Muslims for their prayer time during work or school. 

What is a takeaway from your experience in YIG that you can apply to your future?

“Hearing people’s opinions and seeing the other side was really eye-opening.”