Youth Programs

The League of Women Voters of New York State believes that educating and empowering the youth of our country is vital to maintaining a democracy. Through the League’s Education Foundation, the State League and many local Leagues operate programs that provide students with the information, motivation, and skills to become informed voters and engaged citizens. The State League’s primary youth program is Students Inside Albany. Email the State League office for more information on any of these programs.

Students Inside Albany Conference (SIA)

This Conference is an intensive four day training experience held in the spring and is designed to immerse students in the process by which public policy is proposed, enacted and changed in New York State and educate them as to how they can influence and affect this process. Albany insiders discuss the operations of New York State government including how policy is shaped and enacted. Students develop knowledge of the disparate forces that influence policy development. Additionally, students are afforded the opportunity to observe Assembly and Senate sessions and to shadow both their Assembly members and Senators.

SIA continues to expand and has the greatest involvement by different leagues throughout the state. The LWVNYS provides not only the administration of this program, the materials that leagues can use to  find the students to represent the league, but also pays for the entire cost of the four day program for one student from each league  with the exclusion of the trip to and from Albany.  If any local league wishes to send a 2nd student, there is a cost of approximately $650.00 to cover the expense.  Many leagues have used their other youth programs (names, descriptions of these programs, and contact people appear on this site)  as a way to identify students to represent them in Albany.  Leagues like the LWVNYC have given extra recognition to their representatives.

2023 Students Inside Albany Conference

Thank you to our 2023 Sponsors

Local League Youth Program

Youth Programming Toolkit

CITIZENSHIP AND POLITICAL ACTIVISM
Local League: LWV of the North Country

Contact: Suzy Johnson

The LWV of the North Country collaborated with Champlain Valley Educational Services to offer an all-day symposium for area high school students: Citizenship and Political Activism in NYS.

FIRST VOTE PROGRAM
Local League: LWV of Cattaraugus and Allegany Counties MAL Unit

Contact info: Margie McIntosh

We reached out to 29 local high schools in late spring of 2018 and concentrated our efforts on schools interested in collaborating with us. More than 25 committed community volunteers have attended annual trainings and visited schools to do voter registration.

HOUSE OF KICKS
Local League: Albany

Contact: Mary Berry

The LWV of the North Country collaborated with Champlain Valley Educational Services to offer an all-day symposium for area high school students: Citizenship and Political Activism in NYS.

PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT
Local League: Rochester Metro Area

Contact: Judy Sternberg

This 40- minute program includes:

  1. 20 minutes of interactive discussion about voting and not voting,
  2. A game to bring home the consequences of giving up one’s vote,
  3. Plus 20 minutes for guidance in voter registration.
RUNNING AND WINNING
Local League: LWV Huntington

Contact: Deborah Cosher

A full day event, 8:30am- 2:30pm, for high school junior and senior girls. Invite a 6 elected women officials or past officials to speak to the high school girls on why they ran for office, the obstacles they faced, and the successes they have had.

SPECIAL ELECTION
Local League: LWV of Cattaraugus and Allegany Counties

Contact: Margie McIntosh

At specific voter registration events, we hold a special election to draw people to our table, mostly children, but parents come along!

STUDENT DAY AT THE SUFFOLK COUNTY LEGISLATURE
Local League: LWV Huntington

Contact: Deborah Cosher

Suffolk County LWV and the Suffolk County Legislature jointly sponsor the program. They invite several high schools to participate by selecting six to eight students from their school who are interested in a full day “behind the scenes” educational experience into the inner workings of our local government.

TEACH ME TO VOTE
Local League: LWV of Saratoga

Contact: Deb Peck Kelleher

A video targeted to fifth grade students and designed specifically for the last election. It is just six minutes long but talks about the importance of voting and the ballot proposals.

VOTE 18
Local League: LWV Huntington

Contact: Deborah Cosher

Vote 18 is an interactive voting lesson run by a LWV facilitator. They lead the students through the two hundred years plus journey of the history of voting from our country’s inception to the present.

YOUTH CORPS
Local League: Westchester ILO

Contact: Kathy Meany

The League of Women Voters of Westchester Youth Corps encourages youth, as our leaders of tomorrow, to become active and informed participants in government and to ensure that young adult voices are heard.

THANK YOU TO THE STATE YOUTH COMMITTEE FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER WITH A SPECIAL THANKS TO:

  • Betty Ann King, LWV of the North Country
  • Deb Cosher, LWV of Huntington
  • Megan Nettleton, LWV of Tompkins County
  • Jane Hatterer, LWV of NYC
  • Myra Pelz, LWV of Rochester Metro
  • Susan Ferris Rights, LWV of North East Westchester
  • Lindsey Houlihan, LWV of Scarsdal