Funds Support Dallas

Texas Youth & Government Program 

 

The YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas is please to announce Texas Bar Foundation has made a $4,000 contribution to support the YMCA Dallas Youth & Government Program.  The YMCA Youth & Government program’s mission is to help teenagers become responsible citizens and future leaders of our nation.  The goal is to create an environment in which students can increase political awareness and understanding, while learning the meaning of social action through actual experience in government.

This year 1,500 students from around the Dallas Metroplex are participating in local Youth & Government programs.  In collaboration with the YMCA, clubs are organized with high schools and middle schools, home schools and other organizations, each with a caring adult role model for an advisor.  Clubs are youth-led and meet through the school year.  The program prides itself in being a hands-on experience. Participants have the opportunity to study and debate public issues, experience the judicial branch of our state government, write a bill, participate in a Youth Legislator, and produce the State Y&G news broadcast or edit the State newsletter. The students compete at the district level and then culminate their experience at the annual State Conference in Austin, Texas.  The use of the State Capitol's official chambers and meeting rooms adds a tremendous amount of dignity to the proceedings of the Texas Youth & Government program.

Beginning in 1946, this program has used a variety of activities to build, encourage, and strengthen those life assets and character traits that will help youth become involved responsible adults who are decent and respected citizens. The core purpose of this highly regarded program is exemplified in the motto "Democracy must be learned by each generation in order for it to survive."

This grant provides funding for technology and assessibilty for the program through the purchase of tablets and hotspots enabling better connectivity and data collection. It also provides a resource for students who may not have access to a computer to take qualifying tests for the conference.

Since it’s inception in 1965, the Texas Bar Foundation has awarded approximately $16 million in grants to law-related programs.  Supported by members of the State Bar of Texas, the Texas Bar Foundation is the nation’s largest charitably-funded bar foundation.