By Jared Schaffer
2019 Youth Governor
Jared Schaffer takes the podium right after being announced as the 2019 youth governor during last year’s closing awards ceremony. 2018 Gov. Claudia Hubbard, left, and Lt. Gov. Anne Mitchell Welch congratulate him.
Hello everyone! I am excited to welcome you all to the 71st YMCA Youth Legislature! I know you all have put in a lot of hard work, and soon you will see why that work was worth it.
There are so many reasons to love this program, but above all, it is a safe place. This is a place where you can voice your opinion and not be ostracized for doing so, and a place where everyone is equal and everyone’s opinion matters. All of you know this, but talking in front of people isn’t easy, sometimes in the heat of the moment you say the wrong thing or something along those lines. The best way to rid yourself of the nervous feelings is to do it more. The more you talk, the more you raise your placard, the more you familiarize yourself with what you believe in, the more you will succeed in the chamber.
When I look at a weekend like this in black and white, I think how these are the best years of our lives, and to be here, with so many like-minded people, having fun, is an unbelievable opportunity and a privilege. No matter your role this weekend, you have contributed to the growth of our great program, and for that, I thank you.