Twenty-nine (29) Newburgh Free Academy (NFA) students joined 14 other Orange County schools for a Youth in Government convention at Minisink High School. 

In Youth in Government, high school students research and write policies in advance for this convention. They are then divided into six committees. This year, NFA presented policies in the Economic, State, Environmental, and Social Committees. Additionally, students from NFA  were elected chair and secretary of two of these committees.

Policies that NFA presented included: reducing Congressional pay during a shutdown, increasing the national minimum wage, rewriting the cell phone ban in schools, student loan forgiveness, tax breaks for electric cars, and term limits for Congress.  

Student participants were. Rahama Tassme,  Sahmiya Cambell, Maxwell Vegliando, Janelle Terry, Lucus Benson, Dennise Vaquero, Augustina White, Caila McMillan Joel Castillo, Amelya Kalaj, Ben Beasley, Emily Mitchell  Madisyn Finnegan, Genesis Barahona,  Learah Butler,  Steven Yang, Liam Baxter, Ryan Orsino, Aarna Patel, Roberto Coyopol, Jayden Rivera, Victor Martinez, Natyaly Mata, Dayanara Alejos, Alani Alencastro, Mya Pabon, Chrystiella Mensa, Kiernan Judson, and Joshua Bonilla.

This trip would not have been possible without the generosity of the Marlboro school district sharing a bus with NFA  students.  I would like to thank Kevin Egan, the Marlboro Youth in Government advisor, whose time and effort made this possible.

Story and photos provided by Mr. Timothy Underhill. 

PHOTOS | 29 NFA Scholars Participate in County-wide Youth in Government Convention