Youth & Government
For over 74 years, YMCA Youth & Government has provided high school youth throughout California an experiential learning program by modeling California’s legislature and courts. The program offers teen youth participants from around the state the opportunity to collaborate with others, make new friends, and build skills such as critical thinking, persuasive public speaking, writing and research. Youth & Government is rooted in the YMCA’s core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility and is a platform for social responsibility, servant leadership and personal development. We strive to offer a program where everyone feels a sense of belonging and that we help to support the spirit, mind and body of every individual.
Our goal is to nurture the next generation of civically engaged Californians so that they recognize the importance of:
- Civic Knowledge: They understand the structure, function, and procedures of the California Legislature, including bill development.
- Civic Awareness: They can identify the major issues facing their communities.
- Civic Action: They are equipped with the tools they’ll need to make change in their community and can identify the importance of mutual respect, personal responsibility, and active listening in group settings.
78th Model Legislature & Court
Youth & Government and Model Legislature & Court are national YMCA programs for students in grades 9th-12th that prepare them for future school opportunities through training in the theory and practice of developing public policy.
The California YMCA Model Legislature & Court is a statewide youth educational program involving more than 2,000 high school students in a nine-month “hands on” experience. Since its inception, the program has used a variety of activities to build, encourage, and strengthen the character traits that will help high school youth become involved, responsible adults who are respected citizens. The tool used is a high-quality experiential and educational simulation based upon California’s State government. The program is very comprehensive, and its impact on the youth participants is dramatic.
The Model Legislature & Court teaches the values of democracy by creating citizen leaders from a cross-section of the State’s high school population, providing them with the opportunity to experience government firsthand and to learn how to solve community problems through the democratic process. The program also helps develop within these youth an attitude of self-help and self-confidence for their personal futures.
YMCA of Orange County Locations:
EPIC San Gabriel Valley: In-Person
EPIC OC: Homeschool Hybrid
EPIC Tustin: In-Person
Newport Harbor High School: In-Person
No Refunds on Program Registration or Deposit
Please note that all program registrations and deposits are non-refundable. Travel reservations and accommodations are secured in advance to ensure the best experience for participants. As such, we are unable to offer refunds under any circumstances.
Program Areas
Model Legislature & Court (MLC) | YMCA of Orange County
Registration Information
| Open | Close | Register At | Member | Program Member | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/1/25 | 8/1/26 | Online / Front Desk | $ 1450.00 | $ 1450.00 |
Available Sessions
| Date(s) | Minimum Deposit | Special Rate | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
09/03/25 - 03/01/26
EPIC OC Homeschool Hybrid
|
$ 600.00 | $1200 |
Registration Closed Opens on 08/01/25 |
|
|
09/03/25 - 03/01/26
EPIC San Gabriel Valley
|
$ 300.00 | $1200 |
Registration Closed Opens on 08/01/25 |
|
|
09/03/25 - 03/01/26
EPIC Tustin
|
$ 750.00 | $1450 |
Registration Closed Opens on 08/01/25 |
|
|
09/03/25 - 03/01/26
Newport Harbor High School
|
$ 750.00 | $1450 |
Registration Closed Opens on 08/01/25 |