Story by Sylvia Ramlo, Fridley; Edited by Lale Akkin, Mounds Veiw; Illustration by Lindley Johnson, Shakopee
There are many reasons why adult advisors in Youth in Government decide to take on their job. The Fridley delegation advisor, Steve Holt, had many things that lead up to his decision to join. In high school, there was a program called Close Up in which he went to Washington DC; this had many similarities to YIG and he liked it a lot. Then, teaching in a bilingual-bicultural school in Guayaquil, Ecuador, he made a Model UN club. After his amazement at the conference that year in Venezuela, he decided to continue his involvement while teaching there.
After being hired by Frildey in the 90’s, he inquired about a Model UN club and learned about Youth in Government. Wanting to join, Holt became an advisor for eighth graders and managed to take almost half of the entire eighth grade class. He has been doing this for 27 years and he still loves to take kids to the Youth in Government conference. Holt “While the main mission of YIG is to teach each generation democracy, students also gain valuable skills outside of citizenship skills, including developing public speaking skills, leadership skills, and the ability to see controversial issues from diverse perspectives,” said Holt.
Another eighth grade advisor, Aaron Cuthbert, joined the program because someone from the YMCA wanted him to start a delegation. “I really didn’t have an option,” he said, but he also saw that the program was successful and is still friends with the employee from the YMCA. He has been an advisor for 13 years and is still doing it because he enjoys seeing youth learn how to be leaders and engage in politics.
Even though it is hard to be a middle school teacher, Cuthbert says that YIG helps him see the work become worth it. “Selfishly, it’s also just a great way for me to see my former middle schoolers become successful adults,” he said. As a part of his job, he is a co-delegation director with two other teachers in YIG and MUN. He is a point of contact for students in need and families who have questions as well as recruiting new kids for leadership corps. He was a leadership corps program area specialist for a couple of years.
There are a lot of different reasons advisors join YIG, these are only two of many people. Every single one of them has different experiences that led them to become an advisor, and talking to advisors is a good way to learn more about them and the delegation as a whole.