Story by Karysa Brown, Carlton; Edited by Lale Akkin, Mounds View; Illustration by Lindley Johnson, Shakopee
Youth in Government brings in a diverse group of young people with different experiences, stories, and perspectives. Delegates come from different backgrounds and hardships, but all have one goal in common; to succeed at YIG, as well as have fun. With the years people spend at YIG, they collect funny stories to remember for years onward.
Jen Behnke, Hastings Delegation:
“I was fortunate enough to be an elected official, and so there were shenanigans the night before the conference. So we wake up the day of the conference and I go to check my phone and there is a notification. I am greeted with an inverted picture of Brady Sternburg hugging Koya the bear.”
Oakley Poole, Shakopee Delegation:
“One time during the leadership corps, the restaurant I decided to go to was McDonald’s. I got there around eight or seven and I had to wait in line until nine, though I was almost late to activity time. But I got a ten-piece chicken nugget and fries out of it.”
Tess Machalek, St. Louis Park Delegation:
“Last year, the president of my senate voted to see if she could take off her heels because they were hurting her feet. It was very funny and the senate voted yes,” Machalek said.
Kayleigh Klardie, Wayzata Delegation:
“Last year, Jack Buboltz was one of the appointed trial courts judges, and he was very tired during the conference so he took to drinking Celcius and Bubbler. It was maybe the third day of the conference and he had four before the first trial. Halfway through, he had an awful caffeine crash and had to adjourn court a little early so he could have a moment. So, one of the witnesses and the head at the time went to check on him. He was then restricted from Bubblers for the rest of the conference.”
Gray Ballinger, Shakopee Delegation:
“My funny story is, my friend got stuck in a stairwell and my friends were going around for like twenty minutes across floors trying to find her. The moment that she called me, I immediately picked up the phone, and went to where she was and didn’t even talk to her. She was just on the stairwell like ‘what was happening’. Everyone was so amazed and wondering how I knew where she was, it was probably one of my funniest stories,” Ballinger said.
These stories are just a couple of the funny experiences that delegates have. YIG is a perfect place to explore and learn, making new memories or connections that will last a lifetime.