January 24, 2010
Palestine, Texas
Westwood High School
WHS students get honors at Y&G conference
Westwood High School’s Youth & Government delegates joined student leaders from across Texas to debate local, state, national and international issues at the State YMCA Youth & Government Conference Jan. 21-24 in Austin.
Jacob Dees received accolades as the most outstanding State Affairs Forum Chairman in the 63rd year history of Youth & Government. Seth Dingas was named a State Affairs Forum Distinguished Delegate. Matthew Cotton was named a Distinguished Delegate from the Youth Governor’s Task Force.
The award for the Most Outstanding State Affairs Forum Proposal was presented to Jestina Axum, Emily Gailey and Jennifer Spilman.
The State Affairs Forum Proposals of the following delegates passed all three rounds and will be made available to the Texas Senate and House of Representatives: Jackson Harris, Maci Kimbrough, Heather Wooden, Kayla Fortner, Savana Lane, Jayme Lively, Joshua Baldree, James Glover and Mathew Webb.
Sierra Westley served in Hyde House, a legislative body for first-time Youth & Government participants. Her bill passed three rounds and was signed into law by the Youth Governor, Lexi Gibson.
“Youth & Government not only worked hard, but played hard. Texas Youth & Government did a superb job of organizing evening activities such as campaign rallies, pirates and cowboys’ carnival, movies, casino with play money and prizes, a banquet and semi-formal dance,” Westwood Y&G; sponsor Karen Plumb said.
Westwood Youth & Government delegates are: Jestina Axum, Iza Baldovino, Joshua Baldree, Lindsey Bentley, Kyle Carroll, Matthew Cotton, Whitney Daughtery, Jacob Dees, Seth Dingas, Jesus Espinosa, Dillon Eyman, Kayla Fortner, Emily Gailey, Jennifer Garcia, June Garcia, James Glover, Tina Glover, Jackson Harris, Brittany Hollingsworth, Maci Kimbrough, Savana Lane, Jayme Lively, Lauryn Lowe, Shelby Luce, Daniel McGaugh, Suzanne Mills, Abigail Phelps, Katie Patzke, Cordell Rivera, Allie Sendejo, Jennifer Spilman, Courtney Stanaland, Ashley Torres, Mathew Webb, Sierra Westley, Chelsea Williams, Heather Wooden, Tiffany York and Jackie Zavala.
For more information about the Texas YMCA Youth & Government program, visit www.ymcatexasyg.org.