It was ‘Back to Work’ for our 73rd Assembly. Although we were not able to grace the halls of the Capitol due to COVID protocols, we were able to safely meet in person in Springfield. Democracy is not a spectator sport, and can happen anywhere. And so that is what we did – we met at the Crowne Plaza and at the Bank of Springfield Center. 750 students debated, discussed, presented and ‘did’ democracy, and it was so good to be back!
Scroll down for a list of our Student Leadership Team, Student Award Winners and our Volunteer Service Award Winners!
Student Leadership Team:
Major Officers
Aayush Gupta, Waubonsie Valley
Nikhil Venkat, Metea Valley
Lt. Governor:
Thrinav Sathya, Metea Valley
Secretary of State:
Calvin See, Neuqua Valley
Presidents of the Senate:
Sanjay Ganesh, Neuqua Valley
Emma Spence, Sesser-Valier
Ragnav Taneja, Neuqua Valley
Speakers of the House:
Jasmine Castillo, Sesser-Valier
Shaun Fieldman, Neuqua Valley
Delaney Kirk, Gateway Region Y
Executive Director of Lobbyists:
Cynthia Jing, Neuqua Valley
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
- Aida Adam, United Township
- Zeennah Akorede, Carmel Catholic
- Abhinav Arun, Waubonsie Valley
- Ross Bodine, Williamsville
- Aleigha Bunnell, Sesser Valier
- Sam Crutcher,Sycamore
- Jaleel Drones-Akins, Kenwood Academy
- Lily Garcia, Bradley Bourbonnais
- Kyle Gorman, Normal Community
- Eesha Gowda, Carterville
- Usman Khan, Waubonsie Valley
- Prisha Kittu, Carterville
- Andrew Mann, Bradley Bourbonnais
- Brooklyn McKee, Sesser Valier
- Leslie Moreno, United Township
- Osasu Okungbowa, Richards
- Shruti Panse, Neuqua Valley
- Farah Rahman, Waubonsie Valley
- Sage Reagan, Gateway Region Y
- Abby Robinson, Neuqua Valley
- Will Roney, BBCHS
- Amara Saleem, Metea Valley
- Omnia Salih, United Township
- Yashas Sardesai, Neuqua Valley
- Naina Sarup, Neuqua Valley
- Hansika Sathianarayanan, Neuqua Valley
- Jack Schuerenberg, Waubonsie Valley
- Salimah Scott, Neuqua Valley
- Anusha Selva, Neuqua Valley
- Daksh Shandilya, Neuqua Valley
- Tyler Shasteen, Carterville
- Anish Singh, Neuqua Valley
- Wanrou Sun, Neuqua Valley
- Asha Suresh, Neuqua Valley
- Kadija Sylla, United Township
- Ela Taneja, Neuqua Valley
- Zach Trubitt, Eisenhower
- Vidya Venkatachalam, Neuqua Valley
- Gabe Woolsey, Sesser-Valier
- Megan You, Gateway Region Y
Devotion Leaders
- Asher Bates, Sesser Valier
- Josh Yeley, Williamsville
Executive Director of Lobbyists
- Cynthia Jing, Neuqua Valley
Assistant Director of Lobbyists
- Sofia Afreen, Lake Park High School
- Khushi Aggarwal, Lake Park High School
- Nolan Armstrong, Mt. Vernon Township
- Luke Barry, Sesser-Valier High School
- Sarah Faustino, Stagg High School
- Seamus Keough, Stagg High School
- Zack Massoni, Carmel Catholic High School
- Yasmeen Nogura, Stagg High School
- Brady See, Neuqua Valley High School
- Emerson Zhang, Neuqua Valley High School
Clerk of the House
- Brianna Jones, Eisenhower
- Suhaani Singh, Neuqua Valley
- Louisa Wilson, Williamsville
Secretary of the Senate
- Sebastian Rebidas, Stagg
- Meiling Sun, Neuqua Valley
- Olivia Tipton, Sesser-Valier
Sergeant-at-Arms of the House
- Sydney Erickson, BBCHS
- Sid Jaignanesh, Neuqua Valley
- Makenna Reedy, Williamsville
Sergeant-at-Arms of the Senate
- Bailey Neibch, Frankfort
- Paridhi Ranjan, Waubonsie Valley
- Landen Zimmerman, BBCHS
MEDIA CORPS
Editors
- Liz Arias, Lake Park
- Lea Bartos, Lake Park
- Joey Brant, Lake Park
Social Media Editor
- Madison Powell, Lake Park
Assistant Social Media Editors
- Kendall Eddington, WWS
- Ellie Ford, Williamsville
Video Producers
- Tess Earl, United Township
- Nikhil Senthil, Metea Valley
STUDENT STEERING COMMITTEE
CHAIR: Lt. Governor Thrinav Sathya, Metea Valley
VICE CHAIR: Lauren Verthein, Metea Valley
Aiste Siupienius, Addison Trail
Alexandra Sullivan, Andrew High School
Megan Muzzey, Batavia High School
Norah Thurow, Batavia High School
Nicole Huffaker, Bradley Bourbonnais Comm.
Gianna Randazzo, Bradley Bourbonnais Comm.
Michelle Nolasco, Carl Sandburg High School
Zeenah Akorede, Carmel Catholic High School
Tyler Shasteen, Carterville
Sage Regan, Gateway Region YMCA
Joey Brant, Lake Park High School
Roshini Ashrit, Metea Valley High School
Thrinav Sathya, Metea Valley High School
Nikhil Venkat, Metea Valley High School
Lauren Verthein, Metea Valley High School
Jackson Snodgrass, Mt. Vernon Township
Nate Gonzalez, Naperville North/Central
Kunal Daftari, Neuqua Valley High School
Anya Pulluru, Neuqua Valley High School
Calvin See, Neuqua Valley High School
Sam Haggarty, Normal Community High School
Nathaniel D’Orazio, Northeast Independent
Alexis Degler, Pinckneyville
Maggie Stacey, Sesser-Valier High School
Scott Lichamer, Sycamore High School
Esha Agrawal, Waubonsie Valley High School
Aayush Gupta, Waubonsie Valley High School
Leoni Reilley, Wheaton North
Amelia Carnana, Wheaton Warrenville South
Patrick Herr, Wheaton Warrenville South
Ross Bodine, Williamsville High School
Student Award Winners:
BEST LEGISLATORS
Blue House Yashas Sardesai – Neuqua Valley
Blue Senate Ela Taneja – Neuqua Valley
Gray Senate Reagan Basso – Sesser-Valier
Gray House Abby Robinson – Neuqua Valley
Orange Senate Gavin Smith – Waubonsie Valley
Orange House Ross Bodine – Williamsville
LOBBYISTS
Blue
1 Miriam Niestat-Kenwood Academy 2 Zack Massoni-Carmel Catholic 3 Sanjay Bommisetty-Metea Valley |
Gray
1 Rudy Shen-Neuqua Valley 2 Glenna Bottom-Wheaton Warrenville South 3 Kacper Bizub-Stagg |
Orange
1 Emerson Zhang-Neuqua Valley 2 Sriman Tipirneni-Waubonsie Valley 3 Brady See-Neuqua Valley |
STATE ISSUES FORUM
Cardinal
1 Meiling Sun – Neuqua Valley 2 Phoenix Calabrese – Sycamore 3 Nina Mendes – Neuqua Valley |
Violet
1 Kaelyn McGhie – Neuqua Valley 2 Sabrina Tse – Naperville Central 3 Emma Fennes – Sesser-Valier |
White-Tailed Deer
1 Suhaani Singh – Neuqua Valley 2 Julia Surzykiewicz – Lake Park 3 Sam Calderwood – Wheaton North |
JUDICIAL
Winner of Clerk-Bailiff Forum and Head Clerk Bailiff
Shria Devarakonda – Waubonsie Valley
Winners of Thunderdome
Taylor Sarah Rush, Sanjana Sivakumar (State-Appellee) – Metea Valley
Fletcher Nikhil Venkat, Neha Tokala (State-Appellee) – Metea Valley
Best Written Opinions – People v. Taylor: Court 2; People v. Fletcher: Court 9 (Honorable Mention Court 10)
People vs. Taylor- State-Appellee
Bench Memo
- Esha Agrawal, Dishita Mansukhani – Waubonsie Valley
- Sarah Rush, Sanjana Sivakumar – Metea Valley
- Gavin Hewawasam, Rohan Mendes – Neuqua Valley
Oral Argument
- Sarah Rush, Sanjana Sivakumar – Metea Valley
- Esha Agrawal, Dishita Mansukhani – Waubonsie Valley
- Gavin Hewawasam, Rohan Mendes – Neuqua Valley
Overall
- Esha Agrawal, Dishita Mansukhani – Waubonsie Valley
- Sarah Rush, Sanjana Sivakumar – Metea Valley
- Gavin Hewawasam, Rohan Mendes – Neuqua Valley
People vs. Taylor – Defendant-Appellant
Bench Memo
- Saniya Desai, Samhita Subramanian – Waubonsie Valley
- Darby Elo, Taylor Shi, Betty Smith – Naperville Central/North
- Diyadatt Seeryada, Areesha Sundrani – Waubonsie Valley
Oral Argument
- Darby Elo, Taylor Shi, Betty Smith – Naperville Central/North
- Shreya Jaisingh ,Madeline Walbridge – Metea Valley
- Vishnu Mahesh, Arnav Shandilya – Neuqua Valley
Overall
- Darby Elo,Taylor Shi, Betty Smith – Naperville Central/North
- Shreya Jaisingh, Madeline Walbridge – Metea Valley
- Saniya Desai, Samhita Subramanian – Waubonsie Valley
People vs. Fletcher- State-Appellee
Bench Memo
- Rishika Gaddamanagu, Anya Pulluru, Vivian Durkin, Neuqua Valley
- Eshaam Bhattad, Rajan Sukhatme – Stevenson
- Charles Becker, Michael Partyka – Lake Park
Oral Argument
- Nikhil Venkat, Neha Tokala – Metea Valley
- Raja Chokkalingam, Gavin Ebenezer – Waubonsie Valley
- Sri Marapudi, Sahil Chari – Metea Valley
Overall
- Rishika Gaddamanagu, Anya Pulluru, Vivian Durkin, Neuqua Valley
- Eshaam Bhattad, Rajan Sukhatme – Stevenson
- Raja Chokkalingam, Gavin Ebenezer – Waubonsie Valley
People vs. Fletcher – Defendant-Appellant
Bench Memo
- Krystyn Shae Reyes, Janelle Zhou – Waubonsie Valley
- Ayesha Ajaz, Tara Vijay – Waubonsie Valley
- Shreya Anand, Dhivya Chari – Waubonsie Valley
Oral Argument
- Krystyn Shae Reyes, Janelle Zhou – Waubonsie Valley
- Cadence Fung, Shadan Al Zuhari, Tori Barson – Wheaton Warrenville South
- Shaun Jacob, Ronak Chandrana, Ethan Hung – Neuqua Valley
Overall
- Krystyn Shae Reyes, Janelle Zhou – Waubonsie Valley
- Shreya Anand, Dhivya Chair – Waubonsie Valley
- Ayesha Ajaz, Tara Vijay – Waubonsie Valley
Passed Bills:
Click HERE for a link to the bills passed and signed by our Governor, Aayush Gupta this year.
Volunteer Service Awards:
Youth and Government would like to acknowledge the following advisors, board members and program volunteers that give of their time and talents to make Illinois YMCA Youth and Government the best program for civic engagement, leadership, and learning democracy. Thank you so much!
2021 SERVICE APPRECIATION AWARDS
5 Years
Dominique Estes Judicial Advisor, Alumna of Waubonsie Valley
Mary Kettering Head Advisor, Chicago Academy of the Arts, Alumna Batavia
Sheri Wigant Head Advisor, Kishwaukee, Alumna Kewanee
10 Years
Michael Barnes Judicial Advisor, Alumnus Stevenson
Dennis Favaro Head Advisor, McHenry Co., Former Board of Directors Member, Former Youth Governor, Alumnus Bradley Bourbonnais
Alexandra Hamilton Advisor Lake Park
Aaron Henricks Advisor Oswego
Brandon Krozel Program Volunteer, Former Program Board, Former President of the Senate, Alumnus Wheaton Warrenville South
Christopher MacDonald Judicial Advisor, Alumnus Stevenson
Richard Mitchell Judicial Advisor, Wheaton Warrenville South
David Overstreet Judicial Advisor, Alumnus Mt. Vernon Township
15 Years
Catherine (Cat) Bishir Judicial Advisor, NeuquaValley
Rachael Dovgin Program Volunteer, Head Advisor Richards, Former Program Board Chair
Stephanie Pinta Head Advisor Kenwood Academy, Development, Alumna Westmont
Nick Romano Former Head Advisor Andrew, Development
Brenda Shay Head Advisor Oswego
Jeff Sichz Advisor Lake Park, Program Board Member, Alumnus York
Paul Whisler Advisor Neuqua Valley
20 Years
Don Fulmer Advisor Laker Park
Tammy Schutzenhofer Judicial Advisor Neuqua Valley
25 Years
Diane DeLorenzo Program Board Vice Chair, Alumna Leyden
Matt Donkin Former Board of Directors, Alumnus West Frankfort
Jared Knapp Board of Directors, Alumnus Mt. Vernon Township
Karen O’Shea Former Program Board Chair, Alumna Stagg
30 Years
Dawn D’Orazio Head Advisor Northeast Independent, Former Board and Program Board member, Former Youth Governor, alumna Galesburg
Suzanne Whitehead Head Advisor Gateway Region Y, Program Board Chair, Alumna Governor French Academy
Lincoln Award for Extraordinary Volunteer Service – Robert Lampros
2022 SERVICE APPRECIATION AWARDS
5 Years
Levonne Cescolini-Boyer Head Advisor, Addison Trail
Robin Chang Advisor, Waubonsie Valley
Emily Depasquale Program Board, Lobbyist Coordinator, alumna BBCHS
John Gulley Advisor, Sesser-Valier, former Program Board, alumnus, Sesser-Valier
Bob Maroney Board of Directors
10 Years
Krishna Appalaneni Judicial Advisor, alumnus Waubonsie Valley
Melodee Garner Advisor, Sesser-Valier
Justin Gomez Program Volunteer
Alexandra Hamilton Advisor, Lake Park
Mark Lobes Head Advisor, Andrew
Jeffrey Ptacek Head Advisor, Carmel Catholic, Program Board, alumnus Leyden
Zach McCoy-Brock Program Volunteer, alumnus Waubonsie Valley
15 Years
Matthew Livesay Program Board, Judicial Advisor
Fred Tietze Program Volunteer
Kevin Tucker Program Volunteer, former Program Board Vice Chair
20 Years
Sean Docherty Advisor, Mt. Vernon
Jay Robertson Advisor, Lake Park
Adam Zmuda Head Advisor, Stagg
25 Years
Jennifer Lacroix Program Board, Judicial Coordinator, alumna Evanston Township
Amanda Tucker Former Board of Directors, alumna Galesburg
30 Years
Timothy Johnson Head Advisor, Naperville North, former Board of Directors
Chris Kirk Board of Directors, alumnus Mt. Vernon Township
Retiring David Severance Advisor, Waubonsie Valley