A New Prague High School student, Jacob Bouley recently took their civic engagement efforts beyond state lines, traveling to New Mexico to help launch and facilitate a growing youth leadership program.
Bouley, who participated in the annual Youth in Government conference in January, was tapped for a unique opportunity. Alongside over 1,500 students who annually engage in the capitol-based simulation of legislative and judicial processes, Jacob served as an appointed official for the National Issues Forum (NIF), a program within the conference.
Recognizing their expertise in the process, an interstate exchange student from New Mexico invited a small group of Minnesota delegates to assist in establishing a similar NIF program at their home state’s conference.
The impact of the Minnesota delegation was immediate. All four participating students from Minnesota had their legislative proposals pass their initial committees.
Jacobs’s proposal focused on educational reform, advocating for a federal minimum salary for teachers. Their plan included a tiered system based on education level and certification, while adjusting compensation to account for local cost-of-living data, household income, and specific city education budgets.
Reflecting on their involvement, Jacob said “This experience I would not trade for the world, and it gave me new perspectives on life here in New Prague, and of all the conferences I’ve attended through the Center For Youth Voice in MN.”