Youth-In-Government
Program Coordinator: Robert Sassi
Valley Central High School
Montgomery, New York
457 - 2400 ext 7005
Fax: 457 - 4056
The Amy Bull Crist Youth-In-Government Program was inspired by Mrs. Katherine St. George, former chairman of the Orange County Republican Committee and member of the U.S. House of Representatives. While addressing an Orange County Hi-Y Assembly in 1942, Mrs. St. George related that she “found people well acquainted with national politics but woefully lacking in an understanding of how their local town and county governments functioned” and appealed for a greater interest in local government.
In 1944 the Youth-in-Government program was inaugurated through the guidance of Mrs. Amy Bull Crist, Orange County Superintendent of Schools for whom the organization is named. Guided by Mrs. St. George’s vision and Mrs. Crist’s unwavering devotion, the program offers students the chance to learn first hand about the democratic process. Students participate in mock conventions, student run elections, and also shadow elected officials from the local to national levels of government. County Service Day is the culmination of many students’ endless hours of work toward the goal of a better understanding of our governmental process. In no other county in New York State is there a program as long standing and encompassing as Orange County’s Amy Bull Crist Youth-In-Government Organization.
2008-2009 Participating School Districts
Chester |
Cornwall |
Florida |
Goshen |
Highland Falls |
Middletown |
Minisink Valley |
Monroe-Woodbury |
Pine Bush |
Valley Central |
Warwick |
Washingtonville |
2008-2009 Youth-In-Government Activity Assignments
| Date | Activity | Advisor | Location |
| 9/10/2008 | Organizational Meeting | Robert Sassi Maryanne Monte |
Goshen BOCES Campus-Admin. Conference Room |
| 10/17/2008 (Report Time 8:30 am) | Platform Convention |
Patti Tomaszewski | Minisink Valley |
| 10/17/2008 | Citizens Party | Ron Wynn | Minisink Valley Middle School |
| 10/17/2008 | Peoples Party | Matthew Cook | Minisink Valley High School |
| 11/20/2008 (Report Time 8:30 am) | Steering Convention | Cornwall School District | |
| 11/20/2008 | Citizens Party | Alicia Voss | Cornwall High School |
| 11/20/2008 | Peoples Party | Steve Donachie | Cornwall-on-Hudson Middle School |
| 1/15/2009 | Video Tape/Ballot Complete | Scott Meyer | Warwick High School |
| 1/2009 | Video Copied | Tim Underhill or Maryanne Monte | Newburgh Free Academy Orange-Ulster BOCES |
| 1/26-30/2009 | Distribute DVD/widestream on website/ballots | Tim Underhill or Maryanne Monte | Newburgh Free Academy |
| 3/2/2009 3/6/2009 |
Deadline for vote results | Robert Sassi | |
| 4/3/2009 | County Servide Day | Robert Sassi | County Government Center and Brookside Manor |
| TBA | State Trip-Albany |
For additional information contact:
Maryanne Monte
Coordinator, Special Projects
845-781-4363 x 10745