KYA Journal

Volume 1: Issue 2

November 14, 2015

The Candidate Spotlight

By: Emily Fannin
Candidates. Our candidates running
for governor are a huge part of the
Kentucky Youth Assembly (KYA)
conference. So, Im sure you would
love to know more about this years
2015 KYA candidates who are running for governor; one of these six
delegates could be representing us
not only as a YMCA conference, but
also as the state of Kentucky.

talking to high schools, and providing a mandatory life skills class.

Next we have William Middleton who
is representing East Oldham Middle
School. He said, KYA to me is where
anyone who wants to can go up and
say what they want and no one is
going to judge them. Williams platforms are having a mandatory large
celebration for our veterans, having

Why the
Candidates are
Inspired to be
Governor
By: M.J. Farrell

BEN WALTMAN
Sayre School
Ben Waltmans inspiration is his
brother Sam. Waltman says, Hes
always been a big part of my life.
Now that most of his brothers are
gone to college, all hes got left
is Sam. He thinks of his brother
greatly and really wants to live up
to his potential.

Photo Courtesy of Media Corp

Our only female candidate, Kensleigh Jones is representing Seton

Catholic School. She said, KYA to
me is everyone coming together
from different places and getting to
talk about the issues going around
in Kentucky and we all get to share
our ideas. Kensleighs platforms are
donating unused schools supplies to
low income schools, having a variety
of working citizens coming in and

No Child Left Out Programs for kids

to speak their minds in school, and
an anti-discrimination law in Kentucky thats for gender and sexual
orientation.
Then there is Ben Waltman, representing Sayre. He said, KYA to me
is a place where everybody has a
voice where everybody has a place
to be able to change something no

KINSLEIGH JONES
Seton Catholic School
Kinsleigh Jones has decided to run
for Governor on account of, what
she says, All the people and experiences from KYA.

matter how big or small the issue

is. Bens platforms are to create
daycares and preschools for under
privileged families, to increase the
amount of grants being given to
small businesses, and to increase
the amount of no kill animal shelters
in Kentucky.
Now we have Jacob Banta, representing South Oldham Middle
School. He said, KYA to me is a
time to experience talking in front
of people and learning new ways to
have perspective and look at other
peoples ideas. Jacobs platforms
are to reduce poverty, to create new
jobs for police officers for security
reasons, and to increase education
in Kentucky.
Also we have Aiden Aldridge, who
is representing T.K. Stone Middle School. He said, KYA to me is
the opportunity to meet with new
people and to hear their opinion and

to as well give your own opinion.

Aidens platforms are to legalize industrial hemp, to implement fracking
into Kentucky, and to ban negative
ad campaigns.
Lastly there is Aneesh Kadambi,
representing Winburn Middle School.
He said, KYA to me is a place where
anybody can exchange ideas and debate topics they feel strong about.
Aneeshs platforms are to reduce
obesity, lower smoking mortality, and
to improve Kentuckys education.
These are our 2015 candidates
for governor of the Kentucky Youth
Assembly! They all have worked very
hard and have a great time while
doing it. The candidates running
for governor are such a huge part
of KYA and make up most of this
phenomenal experience!

How is KYA Different?

By: Katherine Henson
When Ron Adkisson brought his
first students to KYA 15 years ago
he was a nervous wreck, and had
as much knowledge as a 6th grader. But when advisors took him
under their wing he transformed
from a chaperon to a Hall of Fame
advisor.

Today the bills have changed with

the times, and involve technology that didnt exist 20 years ago.
There are multiple conferences, the
Y tweaked the conference so that
students are less intimidated to
speak, and bills have become more
creative.

Years ago, KYA was a place where

delegation free times were a living
nightmare involving pool time,
students were intimidated to speak,
there was only one middle school
conference with 1200 people, and
governor platforms were unheard
of. There was also a Governors
Banquet, where the family would
come and everyone would sit and
be served food, and a middle school
judicial program (which is now only
for high school KYA).

However, some aspects of KYA have

stayed the same. There are bills
repeated every year, such as childhood obesity, motorcycle helmets,
seat belts on school buses, and
driving at 15. The chance for middle schoolers to speak their voice is
also a constant.
You get out what you put in. Take
Scotty Suttons advice and invest
yourself in this years KYA because
it might never be the same.

ANEESH KADAMBI
Windburn MS
Aneesh Kadambi says, I want to
run for governor after 3 years of
doing KYA. Kadambi was very inspired, in 6th grade, by the governor that year and has aspired to be
the governor ever since.

WILLIAM MIDDLETON
East Oldham MS
All of the people in politics have inspired William Middleton. He says,
Ive acquired a real speaking voice
after attending KYA, and he really
wants to show people what a talent
hes got.

AIDAN ALDRIDGE
T.K. Stone MS
Aidan Aldridge is inspired by James
Comer, who ran for governor in
Kentuckys primaries, but was beaten by Matt Bevin. Comer has been
a big part of Aldridges family. He
even came to talk to Aldridge about

Governor Spotlight: Kevin Jing

By: Sam Gerdemann
2015 Middle School Kentucky
Youth Assembly (KYA) Governor
Kevin Jing participates in a Q&A
about how he came to hold the role
of head of the executive committee.
Here is some interesting information about the beginning of his KYA
experience.
Governor Kevin Jing ran for executive committee based on three
platforms: increasing air quality in
Kentucky coal mines; decreasing
poverty by increasing education;
and increasing the amount of safe,
reliable, and affordable public
transportation in the commonwealth of Kentucky.

Governor Kevin Jing was interviewed by Media Corp member Sam

P. Gerdemann, representing North
Oldham Middle School.
Q: How did you learn about KYA?
A: KYA was a tradition at my middle
school. When we first came to
school as sixth graders the higher
grades would tell us stories about
how awesome KYA was and say, if
you dont go you wont do anything
here, so I gave it a try.
Q: What made you want to come
to KYA?
A: Most of my friends had gone to
KYA and since I am very engrossed
in politics I joined them in the next
year of KYA. Added to the fact that
I love sharing my own opinion, KYA
seemed like a logical choice.

Q: What were your first positions inside of KYA?

A: When I first attended KYA I
didnt really know the rules so I
began as your average delegate to
try out how I liked KYA. Turns out, I
loved it!
Q: How did you learn that you
wanted to run for executive
committee?
A: At the beginning I was the sort
of kid who wanted to be at the top.
When I, as a sixth grader, saw the
different leadership roles posted on
the wall, my eyes went to governor.
I waited until eighth grade and ran.
Q: Did your family/friends support this decision?
A: My parents support all of decisions I make in order to give me a
taste of making my own choices.
Q: What are your plans for the
future? Will you continue trying
to contribute to and improve our
community?
A: I do plan to support or community by joining my school National
Beta Club in order to not just help
the community, but also improve it.
Q: What are your goals for the
future?
A: I plan to continue going to KYA
in High School and promoting the
Commonwealth of Kentucky. I also
wish to rise up to a leadership position in the National Beta Club to
promote ecological choices.
Q: How do you plan to accomplish these goals?
A: To accomplish these goals I am
going to do a lot of hard work.
Nothing comes easy. Being involved
in the community and just helping
out.
Q: Are you going to continue
with politics in your later life?

his seeking to make a difference,

and his passion. Aldridge says, I
see the same passion in him that
I see in myself. Its that passion
that inspired him to run for governor.

JACOB DANIEL BANTA

South Oldham MS
Jacob Daniel Banta was persuaded to run for governor because he
would get to lead KYA. He hopes he
can win, so he can come back next
year. He says, I would love to lead
the next debate and speak in front
of many people.

A: I may, but as most people I am

not a hundred percent sure yet. I
might go to law school to be a lawyer or politician, but I have a very
open mind so you never know!
Q: Do you look fondly upon your
decision to run for governor? Do
you regret it?
A: I look very fondly upon my decision; being governor has its perks!
This position gives me the ability to
do what I like most: help!
Q: How have you acted upon
your three platforms of increasing coal mine air quality, decreasing poverty by increasing
education, and increasing the
amount of reliable public transportation in your term as KYA
governor?
A: As governor I have promoted
voting kindly upon these platforms.
Kentucky really needs these improvements.

What Its Like to be a First-Timer at KYA

By: M.J. Farrell
Remember your first time at KYA;
everyone here started at some
point. If you were nervous, no one
would blame you. People who have
been here for years and years still
get nervous to present their bill,
be a committee chair. Even delegates get nervous to give a speech.

Now, when people think about

their first time at KYA, they mainly
remember all the fun stuff and try
to block out all that scary things.
6th grader, Jacob Griffin, of Seton Catholic School thinks that his
first-time KYA experience is fun,
since he made a statement saying,

Photo Courtesy of Media Corp

Weve all been there before, but for

the new kids, its even more nerve
wrecking. There are tons of new
people, everyones at their best,
and youre just trying to get around
without being run over by the hundreds of kids here. Of course, its
not like everything is scary. Everyone also remembers all of the fun
times they had for their first time
here.

Its a lot more fun than you think.

Now, the most fun part everyone
remembers is the dance, with all
the activities. Maybe, you were a
champion GaGa player? Maybe, you
rocked a song in Karaoke, or maybe, you showed you slick moves to
everyone on the dance floor.
Of course, theres also the friends
you come to KYA with. To define
the fun of hanging with school

friends for almost three days, 6th

grader, Max Sigler, of Seton Catholic School stated, Being with my
friends from school is really fun.
He said all of this with an extremely happy and cheeky smile. Also,
theres not only the friends that
you come with; theres about 900
other kids here you can meet and
create awesome friendships with.
Of course, to help that first-timer
make an infinite amount of friends,
you have to talk to them! If you see
a first-timer, ask them how their
day is going, or tell them that you
like their outfit, even give them a
joke to brighten their day! Youve
been a first-timer before, and
you know how much that helps to
make you feel more comfortable.
Now, you might be asking yourself, how will I know if someones
new? Well, many sources say that
when your new or unaware of your
surroundings, you become diffident
or anxious. So if you look for those
people, and go up and make them
feel more at home, I promise you
will feel better about yourself!
In conclusion, if you dont feel like
its your obligation to make a new
kid feel better, just remember your
first time at KYA and how you felt.
So remember that for the next KYA.
Thank you, youve definitely made
this new kids KYA better.

Whats the True Meaning?

By: Ashley Trimble

Bill sponsors are one of the most

critical aspects to help identify
what KYA truly is. They bring out
their voice to the community to
help create a better one. To one
person, a bill sponsor might just

be a person who enjoys to talk

profusely and wants to argue with
anyone who opposes their bill, but
to be frank, it is so much more than
that. Bill sponsors have shaped the
nation of KYA, and made us who we

are today, which we should never

forget.
Being a bill sponsor is extremely important to our KYA society,
and even to Kentucky itself. As I

asked a KYA staff member, all of

the passed bills are put into the
Youth Action Agenda, and sent to
the legislators of Kentucky. They
then look at the bills, and may grab
ideas from it, which could possibly
get it made into a law. As you can
tell, being a bill sponsor is a fundamental job to our KYA society.
I interviewed two bill sponsors,
Alexis Tainsh and Hannah Hignite
from Gallatin County Middle School,
about the subject. This was their
second year as bill sponsors. I
asked Alexis how she would personally describe what a bill sponsor
does, and she replied, To come up
with problems in our community,
and to find a way to fix them. As
we all know, there are many problems facing the state of Kentucky,
and bill sponsors are the ones to
defeat these problems. I also questioned what their favorite part of
being a bill sponsor was, to which
Hannah Hignite replied, Trying to
fix problems in Kentucky, and to
make a difference. This is what
being a bill sponsor, and even more,

Photo Courtesy of Media Corp

KYA, is all about: to help create a

better community for the citizens
of Kentucky.
As I conclude this article, there is
one question I had to ask. I asked
the bill sponsors what advice would
they give other delegates that aspire to become bill sponsors. Dont
be nervous, itll be worth it in the
end. Alexis Tainsh. That state-

ment could not be more true. It IS

all worth it in the end. Whether the
bill was passed or not, bill sponsors still are courageous enough
to stand in front of their fellow
delegates and let their opinions
shine. They take chances and are
not afraid to make mistakes, which
we should all do. We should never
forget the role of our bill sponsors.

The KYA Education Fair

By: Osaz Omoruyi

One of the first things you experience when you get to KYA is
the Education Fair. What exactly
is the Education Fair? Well, thats
simple. The Education Fair is when
all the people writing a bill set up
their tri-fold and explain their bill
to anyone who passes in hopes of
winning them over to their side in
the debates that take place later
that day. We interviewed a few such
as Abolishing the Death Penalty,
Putting Body Cameras on the Police
Force, and Regulating Puppy Mills.
So, I interviewed Olivia, who has a
major hand in the Education Fair.
This is how it went.

Q: So, Whats the main purpose

of Education Fair?
A: To offer a place where students
can converse with Bill Sponsors and
ask questions they would normally
not ask during debates. Also, to
look at the tri-fold that the sponsors have developed.
Q: Whats the coolest tri-fold
youve seen?
A: One of the coolest one that
Ive seen was one that had a Papa
Johns aesthetic, and dealt with employees smoking on the job. It was
very creative.

Q: So, whats your job in relation

to Education Fair?
A: I promote peer-to-peer interactions in a social setting.
Q: What are your thoughts on
the group of kids this year?
A: These kids are very inspired and
invested in their work so they can
have a voice in Kentuckys problems.
Q: Thanks for your time. Before
we go, whats your favorite
thing about KYA?
A: The diversity of ideas.
From this interview, we can see how
important KYA is to everyone.

The Underground Media Corps

By: Emmalyn Tucker

When I asked one of the media

corps members, Ashley Trimble,
what media corps is to her, the response given pretty much described
our entire operation, Media corps
to me is to help capture the memories of the phenomenal times
we have. Being on media corps is
extremely important; its to let everyone know the highlights of KYA,
and the stories we share. There is
only going to be one KYA conference with these specific people,
and my objective is to be able to
tell the story of us.
Now, you might have noticed some
delegates running around with
cameras, taking pictures and jotting
down notes. Thats us, the media
corps. We basically are a group of
students who have an interest in
photography and journalism. You
also might have noticed this article
is titled the underground media
corps, which is mainly because we
are not as well-known as the other
aspects of KYA. However, that does
not mean we arent a fundamental
part of the conference.

Our job is simple: it is to help capture memories and the highlights

of KYA. So the next time someone
asks to take your picture, smile and
know they are helping to preserve
the memories of this conference.
Each conference is unique and there
will never be a conference thats
the exact same as this one. So
conserving the memories of each
conference is pivotal, and that task
falls upon us. Not only do we take
pictures to preserve your experience in KYA, we also gather and
record the highlights of the conference such as the bill ideas popular
among the delegation, information
about the candidates running for
governor, and creating a spotlight
of the governor himself. We run
around the conference interviewing,
taking pictures, posting on social
media and writing articles. Our job
makes your experience more enjoyable and unforgettable.

Special Thanks to
Our Media Corps Team!

McKenna Smith
Emily Fannin
Ashley Trimble
Emmalyn Tucker
Sam Gerdemann
Will Kissel
M.J. Farrell
Genevieve McCartney
Catherine Appelman
Katherine Henson
Osaz Omoruyi

Go For It! Bluegrass

January 16-18, 2016
Camp Loucon