The Kentucky Youth Assembly (KYA) is a strong tradition at Grayson County Middle School.
KYA is an opportunity for leadership skills to grow while participants learn about the entire legislative process. This program offers students the opportunity to learn about a wide variety of issues that are important to them, develop critical thinking skills, and articulate their beliefs while engaging constructively with their peers.
This year, a decision was made that if students were unable to attend the conference in person, we would create our own youth assembly at GCMS. One difference when comparing the two assemblies is that traditionally, approximately 40 students would participate in the program and present three to five bills that were to be debated.
This year, the GCMS Youth Assembly had over 150 Gifted and Talented students participate and over 50 bills were created, presented, and debated.
Terri Haycraft, Gifted and Talented Teacher for Grayson County Schools, spent the first semester of the 2021-2022 school year working with students in small groups or individually while the students created bills that were important to them.
There were times when students needed answers about current legislation before they could move forward with their own. When answers couldn’t be found, Haycraft reached out to community leaders to help provide answers or to help lead the students in the right direction.
Leitchfield Police Chief David Riley was a great help on a number of occasions and provided useful information and resources. State Rep. Samara Heavrin and state Sen. Stephen Meredith were invited to visit GCMS to share first hand experiences on how a bill becomes a law, legislation they created that they are most proud of, and to help answer any questions the students may have about their own bills.
Heavrin and Meredith were quick to respond to the invitation and were able to spend almost two hours meeting with the students.
On February 14, students were able to participate in the first-ever Grayson County Middle School Youth Assembly. All sixth, seventh, and eight grade GT students had the opportunity to debate and vote on bills that were presented.
This was the culminating activity to an entire semester dedicated to our legislative process. Our futures are bright in the hands of our future leaders.
Awards
Highest ranked 6th grade bill — Piper Nix: An Act Relating to Physicians
Highest ranked 7th grade bill (tie) — River Anderson, Elijah Barnett, Asa Bratcher: An Act Relating to Suspension Laws
Highest ranked 7th grade bill (tie) — Piper Mangan: An Act Relating to Cleaner Air in Kentucky Public Schools
Highest ranked 8th grade bill — Wyatt Sweet, Shay Wieland, Deranne Lasley: An Act Relating to Poverty
Outstanding Speakers — Jackson Davis, Ryder Coffey, Draven Rudnick, Josey Smith, Piper Mangan
(Headline photo l-r: Wyatt Sweet, Shay Wieland, Deranne Lasley, Elijah Barnett, Asa Bratcher, River Anderson)
Submitted by Grayson County Schools
