“The club at Rose is brand new; it's hard to get information out and interest people,” Stepp said. “At New Bern, they are in its third year of having a delegation and it almost doubles in size every year, which we hope to do here at Rose.” 

     A primary goal of the club is for every member to attend the YAG conference, providing them with hands-on experience in student-led government.

     “Our club, or delegation, hopes to grow and gain more members so students at Rose can experience the YAG conference where you can actually practice your role in government and educate students on how important it is to be vocal and active in your local community,” Stepp said.

    The YAG conference is a three-night, four-day conference held at the convention center in Raleigh, NC, where students can participate in different positions in government, such as lobbyists, budget analysts, media team or being a part of a mock trial.

     “During the day, if you are a lobbyist or budget analyst, you will go to different parts of the convention center to argue the pros or cons of bills and announce if the bills are financially feasible,” Stepp said. “The media team is in charge of covering the videos, photos, TikToks and interviews all made at conference.”

     The club officers have plans to boost its membership, reach more students and build excitement around YAG.

     “We plan to expand the club through social media, announcements and fundraisers,” Stepp said. “After the conference this year, we hope that people will see how fun it was and hear experiences from people who went and want to join next year.”