Photos courtesy of Mr. Sinnott
“Democracy must be learned by each generation”
So goes the Alabama Youth in Government’s motto, and nowhere is it better exemplified than Youth in Legislature.
Every year, students from high schools all over the state come together to participate in a mock government, learning about democracy and the legislative process. Most students serve in the First-Year Chamber, the House, or the Senate, with assignments suggested based on grade level and experience but primarily left to students’ choice. While all delegates can observe the other chambers, only those with specially designated positions, such as the Governor’s Cabinet, can actively participate in any chamber of their choosing. The “Gov Cab,” beyond this privilege, also receives the opportunity to meet or shadow their real-world counterpart in the Alabama State House, them insight into the work their positions entail.
Before real debate could begin, delegates needed to determine which of the hundreds of bills submitted were worth discussion. As the conference began on Friday, delegates met in their topic-based committees to explain why their bills would be good fodder for debate. Following those explanations, committee members ranked the bills they’d seen, allowing the Rules Committee to make the final call on the various chambers’ schedules.
This year, Vestavia had a wonderful showout of bills on the floor. Notably, the Youth Governor selected multiple VHHS bills to be Special Order bills, giving them precedence for debate and bypassing the committee process. At five out of fifteen Special Order Bills, Vestavia had the most of any delegation. This year, Vestavia’s Special Order bills included Senate bills “Protecting Alabama’s Children Act of 2025,” authored by Parker Lachowicz, “Mental Health is a Human Right” by Anna Kate Bailey, “Cementing Lower Carbon Emissions” by James Harden, and “Geography, Not Destiny Act” by Ethan Melenevsky, as well as the House bill “Vocational Redemption Act” by Samuel Paredes.
After a long weekend of debating in both the House and Senate, three Vestavia bills arrived at the Youth Governor’s desk for signing, one of the highest numbers from any school.
The weekend concluded on Sunday afternoon with the awards ceremony, where Vestavia received multiple honors. At this ceremony, the qualifiers and alternates for the Conference on National Affairs (CONA) were announced—out of 20 of the strongest delegates and 20 alternates, Vestavia boasted an impressive five qualifiers and six alternates. Furthermore, Vestavia senior Parker Lachowicz’s “Protecting Alabama’s Children Act of 2025” was acknowledged as the Senate Best Bill. Perhaps most rewarding, however, was the Best Delegation Award given to Vestavia Hills High School for the second time in Youth Legislature history. This final honor represents the exceptional performance and comportment of the VHHS students under the guidance of Mr. Sinnott and Ms. Hancock, and it cements Vestavia’s legacy as a force to be reckoned with at the Alabama Youth Legislature Conference!