Mercyhurst Political Science juniors mentor Erie delegation in PA Youth & Government program

Two Political Science majors at Mercyhurst University are summoning their collective passions about responsible citizenship and civic engagement to advise Erie’s newest delegation to the Pennsylvania Youth & Government (YAG) program.

Juniors Marley Ramon and Reid Brown have taken up the mantle of preparing young people from the Youth Leadership Institute of Erie (YLI) to participate in what has become an incredibly realistic simulation of Pennsylvania state government, where students act as legislators, lobbyists, judges, attorneys, and members of the media.  

YAG is a national program of the YMCA and, although Pennsylvania has an active contingent of students, Erie did not have a delegation of its own. So, as students from across the state would engage in the annual conference at the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg, presenting bills they had written, arguing cases, and debating issues, students from Erie were not represented. 

The YLI, meanwhile, is an ideal partner, whose mission “is to connect high school students with resources that enable them to become servant leaders who are educated, motivated, and committed to their communities.”

For someone like Ramon, who participated in YAG for four years in her home state of New Mexico, she welcomed the chance to share the experience locally. In fact, she credits the program for charting her current career path toward law school.

“I figured out I wanted to be an attorney through being a mock attorney in Youth & Government,” Ramon said.

On a personal scale, she added, you can enjoy studying political science, but as a YAG participant, you delve deeply into the world of real-life politics, not the idealized perception often conveyed through television programs, books, and other resources. 

Besides learning the inner workings of government, YAG has the added benefit of cultivating a new generation of leaders, which is something that Brown finds worthwhile.

“Young people are one of the biggest voter demographics and yet the most underrepresented,” he said. “There’s not always been a push for young people to be in politics, but it’s highly important for this next generation and our democracy’s long-term health.”

Ramon and Brown have been meeting bimonthly with the new YSI delegation. The group’s activities include crafting a bill on providing contraceptives at high school and arguing a mock murder case. They will participate in the PA YAG State Conference on April 3. 

“We are truly thankful to Mercyhurst for their support of this program,” said Cori Edwards, YLI executive program director. “We value the experience that Marley and Reid are able to provide the students. They have remained committed to empowering these youth leaders to express their views in civically.” 

As advisors, Ramon and Reid will need to pass the torch next year as graduating seniors. Anyone interested in the program should contact Dr. Joseph Morris at dmorris@mercyhurst.edu