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Virginia Youth & Government
The Virginia YMCA was founded in 1871 and is richly steeped in our core values of Honesty, Caring, Respect, and Responsibility. Despite our name, the Virginia YMCA is neither a traditional YMCA, nor a political or religious organization. We are a non-facility YMCA – we do not have a “gym and a swim” – that focuses exclusively on youth leadership programming with a particular specialty in premier civics education and engagement.
Our core program, Model General Assembly (MGA), has run continuously since 1948, bringing together high school students from across the state to engage in a Youth Legislature mirroring the Virginia General Assembly. We also provide other civics and leadership programming focusing on the judicial branch, Model Judiciary Program (MJP) and youth leadership, Y-Corps.
We are the only YMCA in Virginia that focuses solely on Youth and Government civics education programs.
MODEL JUDICIARY PROGRAM (MJP)
MODEL GENERAL ASSEMBLY (MGA)
Y-CORPS
CONFERENCE ON NATIONAL AFFAIRS (CONA)
Model General Assembly Sets The Stage
“Throughout my political career, whether it be through campaign or official government entities, I learned how to talk to others. Through the tense political culture we’re currently living through, it takes positive discourse to bridge divides of disagreements. That’s the only way we can have functioning government bodies and foster relationships. Throughout my time in MGA, I learned just that. I was able to debate freely without any possibility of fear that I would be criticized or shamed. That has translated into my current field of work.
Now that I have graduated JMU – and even throughout my time there – I have taken these learnings along with me. Listening to constituents and interest groups is my job, so being able to understand and listen freely to their thoughts and opinions is vital. Needless to say, I use MGA and CONA as examples of how I conduct myself everywhere I go. I shine lights upon them to highlight my roots as a civil servant who worked with others to build bridges across divides.” – MGA 2018 – 2020 Alumni
Virginia Young Men’s Christian Association, Inc.
Established 1871
First Model General Assembly 1948
YUSA Chartered September 1, 1970
Virginia YMCA, Inc.
Headquartered in Lynchburg, Virginia
Office Main Number: 434.849-7110
Mailing Address: PO Box 10365, Lynchburg, VA 24506
FEIN 54-0881950