Pennsylvania HR 500: A Resolution designating the year of 2026 as the "80th Anniversary Year of the State YMCA of Pennsylvania Youth and Government Program" in Pennsylvania.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 3154
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 500
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY MEHAFFIE, FLEMING, BRENNAN, BURGOS, T. DAVIS,
FREEMAN, GUENST, HARKINS, HOWARD, KHAN, McNEILL, NEILSON,
SANCHEZ AND VENKAT, APRIL 8, 2026
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, APRIL 9, 2026
A RESOLUTION
Designating the year of 2026 as the "80th Anniversary Year of
the State YMCA of Pennsylvania Youth and Government Program"
in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, It is self-evident that democracy requires an
engaged citizenry and, as Plato famously wrote, "The price good
men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by
evil men"; and
WHEREAS, It is our shared responsibility to maintain the
health of our republic by continually empowering our youth to
experience and understand civics; and
WHEREAS, This Commonwealth is fortunate to have one of the
most impactful programs for bringing democracy to life for young
people through the State YMCA of Pennsylvania, located in
Harrisburg, Dauphin County; and
WHEREAS, In 1946, visionary leaders, including Lieutenant
Governor Daniel B. Strickler, in collaboration with the State
YMCA of Pennsylvania, launched a transformative program to
engage middle and high school students in participatory civic
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education; and
WHEREAS, This initiative, known as the Youth and Government
Program, has shaped generations of creative thinkers and
innovative leaders and is the only hands-on, multibranch
government experience of its kind; and
WHEREAS, Eighty percent of individuals who have participated
in the Youth and Government Program report being actively
engaged in civic life as adults; and
WHEREAS, Guided by its enduring motto, "Democracy must be
learned by each generation," the Youth and Government Program
has brought together students from various regions and ethnic
and socioeconomic backgrounds to work throughout the year for
the opportunity to be selected to participate in the program in
the halls of this Commonwealth's Capitol each spring; and
WHEREAS, More than 700 Pennsylvania high school students,
having earned leadership roles in the 2026 Youth and Government
Program, are arriving in Harrisburg on April 16, 2026, to begin
a whirlwind and once-in-a-lifetime experience serving in
leadership roles in all three branches of government, the
Capitol press corps and as lobbyists; and
WHEREAS, In the halls of this Commonwealth's Capitol, these
remarkable young people, like the thousands who have come before
them, will sharpen their leadership skills, improve their
problem-solving abilities and build self-esteem as they learn
that their ideas matter and that they can make a difference in
the world; and
WHEREAS, Demonstrating its deep commitment to ensuring that
all eligible students may participate in the Youth and
Government Program regardless of financial ability, the State
YMCA of Pennsylvania provides scholarships to more than 40% of
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participants, totaling nearly $35,000 this year; and
WHEREAS, This year, the State YMCA of Pennsylvania's Youth
and Government Program celebrates eight decades of impact and
empowerment and its critical role in forming the future of
informed and ethical leadership in this Commonwealth; therefore
be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
year of 2026 as the "80th Anniversary Year of the State YMCA of
Pennsylvania Youth and Government Program" in Pennsylvania; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives commend the State
YMCA of Pennsylvania's Youth and Government Program for its
longstanding commitment to civic education, youth leadership
development and the future of this Commonwealth.
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