2016 IDAHO 4-H KNOW YOUR GOVERNMENT CONFERENCE Volume 29

A UNIVI:RSITY or IDAIIO EX rCNSION 4-JI YOUTII DEVELOPMENT PROC,RAM

KYG: Infinite Possibilitiesby Kortney Sims

Know Your Government is a 4-H program that gives the youth ofIdaho insight on what occurs at thestate legislative and judicialgovernment levels. Every February,teens from across Idaho unitetogether to learn more about stategovernment. Governmentrepresentatives and lawprofessionals volunteer their time toteach the delegates during the mockjudicial and legislative sessions.The delegates are able to tour theCapitol Building, Idaho SupremeCourt Building, and for the firsttime, delegates will visit theUniversity of Idaho Law and JusticeCenter.

At the conference, there is anoption for youth to apply for a thirdyear at KYG. To do this, delegatesfill out applications, and areinterviewed. These are the teenswho plan the conference each year.This gives young adults a chance to

gain experience on creating 4-Hinvolvement.

KYG provides a safeenvironment that allows teens tohave a positive experience awayfrom home. This conference canincrease a teen's self-esteem byproviding opportunities to practicepublic speaking, meeting newpeople, leadership skills, and newfriendships that last forever.

The mission of the conference,"is to provide 4-H members anopportunity to learn more about thedecision making process in theircommunities and state." After theconference, teens return to theirhome counties and talk to their local4-H groups, schools, andcommunity officials.

The goal of this conference isto make the delegates' future full ofinfinite possibilities through hand-on workshops and peer networking.

This year, 5 bills were lobbied at theKYG legislative sessions. Bill topicsincluded: school lunches, 32-hour workweek, distracted driving, electronics inthe classroom, and mandatoryconcussion helmets for sports. There are69 delegates participating in thelegislative track.

JUDICIAL

The judicial mock trial was a case ofvehicular manslaughter. Drugs may, ormay not have been involved. There are82 delegates participating in the judicialtrack this year.

2016 IDAllO 4-H KNOW YOUR GOVERNMENT CONFERENCE

5,000+Teens that have attendedthe conference since 1987

650Government officialvolunteers

172Delegates this year

40Chaperones and advisorseach year

193rd Year PlanningCommittee Members

34thYear PlanningCommittee Members

KYG Clover was born in 2013 at the SummerPlanning Committee Meeting and first metdelegates at the KYG Conference in 2014. Sincethen he has traveled from Idaho to Mexico andOregon to Washington D.C. He even continued histravels outside the US. With so many sights to see,people to meet, and new things to learn, he decidedto put all of those aspects together and attend someamazing activities, such as T.A.L. K retreat, AgDays at the University of Idaho, and the Idaho 4-HTeen Ambassadors retreat. He even visited a clonedmule and watched some Vandal football after thelivestock judging contest in Moscow, Idaho. All ofhis journeys this year have helped in preparationfor the 2016 Know Your Government Conference.This little guy has a following, and wants you tojoin in on the fun! It's easy, to get started all youneed to do is take a picture with KYG Clover andpost it to social media using the hashtag#idkygclover. Look him up to see all of hisadventures throughout the years, and now it's your,.. •.•turn to take him with you! Remember to snap aphoto, and hashtag #idkygclover!

FOR MORE INFORMATION

www.facebook.comlui4hkyg.com

#idkygclover

KYG NEWSLETTER

To print the 2016 Know YourGovernment Newsletter, visitthe University ofIdahoWebsite:

http://www.uidaho.eduextensionl4h1eventslknow-your-government

We would like to sayTHANK YOU to ourmany contributors for

their continued supportof the Know Your

GovernmentConference. If youwould like make a

contribution, pleasecontact Shae SaraJecosat sheas@uidaho.edu

Unive~sityof IdahoExtension