Since 1944.
Connecticut students have been debating their own bills at the State Capitol for more than 80 years.
Through the years
Milestones
- 1944
Connecticut holds its first Youth and Government program, April 28 to 29, one of the earliest states to follow New York.
- 2006
The weekend conference at the State Capitol in Hartford draws 345 students, with a youth legislature, a judicial program, lobbyists, a cabinet and a conference newspaper.
- 2011
A Middle School Workshop at the Capitol brings grades 7 to 9 into the program.
- 2020
Two legislatures, the Nutmeg and the Charter Oak, plus Youth in Law, the Press Corps and lobbyists are planned for March 13 to 15. The program pauses that spring.
- 2021
The YMCA of Greater Hartford, the Connecticut and Rhode Island YMCA Alliance and the Alliance of New York State YMCAs team up to relaunch the program, starting with a digital conference on May 1.
- 2022
Students meet in person again for a one-day conference at the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury.
- 2023
Delegates return to the State Capitol for a one-day General Assembly on March 3.
- 2024
The overnight State Conference returns, at the Windsor Marriott with a day at the Capitol. Youth in Law comes back to the conference, and a middle school legislature day is held.
- 2025
High school and middle school delegates share one conference, grades 5 to 12. A Governor's Cabinet and a Press program join, and Connecticut students attend the first multi-state pre-legislative conference at Springfield College.
- 2026
More than 100 Connecticut students take part in the State Conference.
- 2027
The Governor's Cabinet is rebuilt around real Connecticut agencies, from the Office of Policy and Management to Transportation.
How it ran
A Capitol weekend
For decades the YMCA of Greater Hartford ran the program, with support from the Connecticut General Assembly's Joint Committee on Legislative Management, the Connecticut YMCA Alliance and YMCA of the USA. Each March, delegates had the House and Senate chambers and committee rooms for a full weekend.
Since 2021 the program has been coordinated by the Alliance of New York State YMCAs, working with Connecticut YMCAs, schools and the State Capitol.
Leadership through the years
Connecticut Youth Governors
Elected by their peers. Years not shown are missing from our records.
- 2006-07Matt Cavedon
- 2009-10Mathue Nowicky
- 2010-11Faras Sadig
- 2011-12Rachel Roberts
- 2012-13Oluwatobi Oni-Orisan
- 2013-14Andrew Jones
- 2014-15Ailyn Dilone
- 2015-16Terrell Patterson
- 2019-21Dawson Trotman
- 2021-22Alyssa Wynnick
- 2022-23Charlotte Masi
- 2023-24Marina Pinto
- 2024-25Benjamin Rusate
- 2025-26Shepard Fisher
- 2026-27Shepard Fisher (re-elected)
Dawson Trotman served through the 2020 to 2021 pause. Past officer slates and award winners are on the Connecticut Honor Roll.
The people
Leaders who kept it going
Gary Wright
State Director with the YMCA of Greater Hartford for more than a decade, and chair of the national association of Youth and Government directors from 2011. He handed coordination to the Alliance in 2021.
Linda Garcia
Program and trip director with the YMCA of Greater Hartford in the mid-2000s.
Rep. Robert Godfrey
Deputy Speaker, the program's legislative liaison and Youth Governor advisor, and a speaker at the 2023 closing.
William Pitt
Youth in Law advisor, who kept the judicial program running online in 2021 and 2022.
Have photos, programs or a Youth Governor we are missing, especially from 1944 to 2005? Share them with us.