The officers for the 2024 Alabama YMCA Youth Legislature have been preparing for this weekend since their elections last year. During Officers’ Training in January and in the days leading up to the conference, your media staff has interviewed the officers in an effort to help you get to know them better.
House Officers – Austin Oh, Isabella Shin, and Michael Allen
By Drue Perkins and Caroline Cornes
Austin Oh, a senior at St. James School in Montgomery, is the 75th Speaker of the House. He serves his school as Student President. Oh has been an Alabama Youth in Government participant for four years, and after he graduates, he plans on attending college and majoring in political science and opera. He is excited to see all the new faces at Youth Leg and see his old friends. In addition, he looks forward to hearing from everyone and facilitating debate. Finally, Oh wants delegates to know that he is always there for them and that the house is a welcoming and educational place.
Isabella Shin is serving as your House Speaker Pro Temp for this conference. She is a junior at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School and aside from her active participation in ALYIG, Shin cheers for her high school. This is Shin’s third year as a ALYIG delegate. She initially got involved with Youth Legislature during her freshman year. Her advisor stopped her in the hall and suggested she would be good in Leg, encouraging her to join the program. Shin says that one of her main goals is to have everyone know that they can talk to her and to not be scared of debating.
Michael Allen serves as your House Floor Leader this year. Allen is a junior at Spain Park High School in Hoover. He is musical, serving as a member of his school band, plays piano and the French horn and sings his church’s choir. He is also on the math team, and a part of the Law Academy at SPHS. This is Allen’s third year participating in ALYIG. Allen became involved in the program when his adviser convinced him to go to Youth Legislature his freshman year. Initially, he was hesitant and did not want to go, but he is forever grateful that he did! Allen loves to debate; however, his favorite part of Leg is the magical people he has met who have become some of his closest friends.
Senate Officers – Annabeth Frazier, Julia Daigle and Jackson Short
By Jordan Graves, Brooklyn Ruffin, Cameron Holloman, Jaquasia Gary-Stevenson and Lawrence Kemp
The lieutenant governor for the Youth Legislature’s 75th session is Annabeth Frazier. The senior at Spain Park High School in Hoover weilds the gavel in the Senate chamber. Frazier got into Youth In Government her freshman year because her sister who had been in the program convinced her to go into the Law Academy to do mock trials and legislation. When she tried it during the COVID year, she enjoyed it and she eventually decided to run for office. She has worked her way up the officer chain, serving as First Year Presiding Officer in 2023 and as the Senate presiding officer this year. Frazier says she is ready to enjoy her first year in the Senate!
Julia Daigle is this year’s Senate Pro Temp. She has been in this program for three years, and she joined the Law Academy at Spain Park High School where she wanted to be as involved as possible with Alabama Youth in Government. She sought the Senate Pro Temp office, because the former House member wanted to try out the Senate environment. She also wants to preside eventually, so this role seemed like a good stepping stone. It was a good way to get more involved. This is her first time presiding, and she has always wanted to do it!
Senate Floor Leader Jackson Short attends Mountain Brook High School. He first began debating in his 7th grade year but was later recommended for the Youth Leg in his freshman year. He is now a senior at Mountain Brook High School. “The most fun part of being Floor Leader is you have to keep the debate going,” he said. Even though he is unclear about his future right now, he would not be surprised if it had something to do with debate or law.
First Year Presiding Officer – Anna Huffstetler
By Precious Clanton
Anna Huffstetler is the 2024 Youth Legislative First Year Presiding Officer. She is a senior at Spain Park High School and has been in the ALYIG program since her freshman year. When she was in First Year, she had an amazing experience with the presiding officer at the time, and now wants to make sure others, especially First Year delegates, get the chance to fall in love with Youth Government just like she did. She looks forward to getting to know those who will grow up to be the leaders of this program!
Secretary of State Gabby Carmargo
By Jordan Graves, Lawrence Kemp, and JaQuasia Gary-Stevenson
Gabby Carmargo is the 2024 Secretary of State for the 75th Annual Youth Legislature. Camargo is a senior at Spain Park High school in Birmingham. Her job as Secretary of State is more of the behind the scenes jobs, such as taking the Rules Committee decision on bill order, producing and distributing the calendars and relevant documents to each chamber. Gabby first got into Youth In Government her first year of high school. She was originally a drama student and the only way she could get acting roles was though Mock Trials and from there she fell in love with the politics side of the program. Since it is Carmorgo’s last year, she is looking forward to making as many memories as possible and to having a positive debate. She hopes to have a “good and organized calendar and at the most to have fun” this year at Youth Legislative.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeremiah Treece
By Mackenize Mayo and Precious Clanton
Jeremiah Treece is the 2024 Chief Justice for this year’s Youth Legislative Conference. He is 17 and attends BTW High School in Montgomery. He is an intern for Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Judge J.R. Gaines, and he previously interned for the Circuit Court’s presiding judge, Judge Johnny Hardwick. Ever since 9th grade, being a part of the justice system has been something he has wanted to do. In an interview, he acknowledged all the hard work that goes into this program, “I think the people who have been running [this program] have been doing an amazing job!” He also acknowledged that his experience in the First Year Chamber was amazing in large part to the people running the program behind the scenes.
Governor Hudson Campbell
By JaQuasia Gary-Stevenson, Jordan Graves and Lawrence Kemp Jr.
Hudson Campbell is the Youth Governor for the 75th Youth Legislature session. He is a senior at Spain Park High School in Hoover and has been in ALYIG for three years now. He first got involved in YIG through his law academy, and he decided to run for governor because he saw how youth governors handled themselves in the past. This year, Campbell looks forward to watching debate and signing some great, unique bills. His biggest inspiration is his dear old Dad because no matter the hardships, his dad has always pulled through and has inspired him to do the same. When asked what he would improve, he commented that he would push to have Youth Legislature a little bit longer to try to get more people to attend. Finally, Hudson is still in favor of pineapple on pizza and has even tried it grilled at home!