RALEIGH – The Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office of the N.C. Department of Administration will accept applications through Feb. 18 for the 43rd annual Youth Legislative Assembly (YLA), to be held March 15-17 in Raleigh. Registrations will be accepted on a first come, first served basis.
YLA is an opportunity for North Carolina high school students to write, debate and vote on bills and share their views with legislators and other state government officials. General sessions will be held at the Legislative Office Building, Room 643, with other activities at the Raleigh Marriott City Center Hotel.
Following procedures used by members of the N.C. General Assembly, participants will work in one of 10 committees before gathering for general sessions. Among the bills developed by the youth is an act to establish a state-funded program that will decrease the rate of teen pregnancy. YLA final report will be sent to the governor, members of the General Assembly and other key state leaders.
Presiding over this year’s YLA will be tri-speakers Austin Jenkins, a senior at North Carolina School of Science and Math, Ilana Green, a senior at Raleigh Charter High School and Davon Moore, a senior at D.H. Conley High School.
The per-student fee of $135 (four students in one room) or $175 (two students in one room) covers hotel accommodations for two nights, five meals, a T-shirt and conference materials. Fees must be included with the application and will increase after Feb. 18. Written notice of acceptance or denial of registration will be provided by March 1.
Past YLA sponsors include the N.C. Cable Telecommunications Association, the John William Pope Foundation, Progress Energy, the Longmire Group and the N.C. Sheriff’s Association. For other YLA information, contact YLA Coordinator Cynthia Giles at 919-807-4400 or Cynthia.giles@doa.nc.gov.
To download registration forms, visit the Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office website at http://www.doa.state.nc.us/yaio/youthcouncils-yla.htm. A list of the 10 committees and proposed legislation from each committee is online, as is information and registration forms for adult chaperones.