Alameda County Teens Join YMCA 'Citizens Camp'

Teens from several Alameda County communities took part in a YMCA Youth & Government gathering that was held in Tulare, California, earlier this month. 

If you want to know thoughtful teens with an eye on current affairs and the future, then all you have to do is spend some quality time with these delegates.

More than 2,300 high school freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors and some 300 adult volunteers took part.

The YMCA group met for its 65th year of the Model Legislature and Court. 

The program throws students into a real-life, teen-led democratic process, where youth elect representatives into a mock government and court system. 

Teens give speeches to crowds of their peers, vote for elections, debate bills and argue court cases.

This was the first trip in a series of three, that will include a trip to Camp Roberts in San Louis Obispo in January and to Sacramento in February.

(This is adapted from an article in the Culver City Patch where you can see more photos and videos of the event.)

These California YMCA delegations participated in the conference (local delegations in bold):

• Albany
• Berkeley
• Burbank Community
• Culver-Palms
• Central/SV
• Camarillo Family

• Corona Norco
• Conejo Valley
• Crenshaw
• Crescenta-Canada
• Desert Family
• Diablo Valley YMCA
• Downtown Oakland
• DaVinci
• East Family
• El Camino
• Estancia
• Downey-South Gate
• Glendale
• El Dorado
• Fremont/Newark
• Hilltop (Richmond)
• Kings County
• South Pasadena and San Marino 
• Westchester
• Wilmington 
• Westside Family
• West Valley
• Weingart East Los Angeles
• Ventura Family
• Triunfo
• Miller
• SFY/Buchanan
• SDSC/South Bay Family
• SDSC/Palomar
• SDSC/Mission Valley
• Santa Monica
• Sacramento Central
• San Leandro
• Pescadero
• North Valley
• Montebello-Commerce
• Ketchum-Downtown LA
• Salinas
• Santa Ana
• Palisades-Malibu
• Pasadena
• San Gabriel Valley 
• SLO County 
• Mid-Valley
• Torrance-South Bay
• Verdugo Hills
• West Contra Costa
• Weingart Urban
• SRV/Vista Diablo
• SRV/Fuerza Unida
• SDSC/Peninsula
• SDSC/Rancho
• Southeast Riverside
• Palo Alto Family
• Santa Anita
• Greater Long Beach
• Gardina-Carson
• Hollywood/Wilshire
• Newport Harbor 
• Stuart C. Gildred
• SPPY/Palos Verdes
• SPPY/San Pedro
• SFY/Marin
• SFY/Embarcadero
• Tri-Valley (Dublin, Pleasanton and Livermore)
• Santa Barbara
• San Joaquin County
• Newport-Corona del Mar
• Kings County