Gold Country MLC Bulletin #4

At last week's meeting, we met and spoke with the Grass Valley and Nevada City mayors (Lisa Swarthout and Reinette Senum, respectively), learned about some leadership opportunities, broke into bill groups, and identified this year's Gold Country Delegation Values (Advocacy, Grit, and Growth Mindset).

Thank you, those who joined us at CapCo Field Day! It's meaningful for all when we can show up to team-build and have fun together. 

At the next meeting: We'll be hosting Forest Charter teacher Michelle Ogaidi, who will be talking to us about Time Management! She'll be our last guest speaker for awhile because we need to focus on our bills. Bring your bill group's bill idea! We're going to get to work! Oh yes... we also will be choosing our delegation sweatshirt design.

What's due: Sweatshirt Design Ideas; Leadership Candidate and Applicant Decisions (FINAL CALL)

Now Officially Overdue: Payment #1 (but please pay online or bring cash/check if you haven't paid yet)

Here's what you need to know this week:

1.) Sweatshirt Designs: This year, out sweatshirts will be gold. Sweatshirt design ideas are due this week. Bring your design ideas this week--remember, no more than two colors, please, and black and white count as colors! We'll be choosing our design during the first 15 minutes of our meeting so don't be late!

2.) Leadership Opportunities: There are lots of elected and appointed leadership opportunities in Y&G, both statewide and within various program.  As discussed last week, everyone is qualified for multiple opportunities - check this chart to see what you can run or apply for!. Check out this information on elected/appointed positions. We HIGHLY encourage everyone to take a chance and apply or run for offices available to you! Applications are available in Reggo (click here for info on how to access applications). Leadership apps are due in Reggo by 6pm on Thursday, October 3!

3.) Bills, Bills, Bills: It's time to start preparing in earnest for our Bill Hearing Night, which will be Monday, October 28. Last week we formed Bill Groups by topic of interest. They are:

• Environment: Anni, Sabine, Zayo
• Food Waste Reduction: Mia, Nalasia
• Homelessness: Ethan, Jihada, Skyler

Please come to the meeting with an idea of what your group's bill will do! Remember, there are lots of resources available! A bill is a proposed law. Laws are how we set expectations for others in our society, show our values, solve problems, or make life better for all citizens. When you're coming up with a bill idea, think about it in terms of what problem you'd like to solve. To review some available resources:

• Here's what a finished bill looks like, so you know what you're making. 
• Watch this video about how to start the bill idea and bill research process. 
• Watch this video about the 4 basic kinds of legislation our State Legislature can consider. 
• Review this Bill Worksheet - these are the basic questions you'll need to answer about your bill by Bill Hearing Night.
• Want to know all the current laws? Here they are! (Get to know this site, which is a bill author's best friend!) 

We'll take time at our upcoming meeting to cement your bill idea (if needed) and start penciling in the answers to the questions on the Bill Worksheet (linked above).

4.) Gold Country's Delegation Values: While Gold Country continues to be guided by the YMCA values of Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility, this year we are going to focus on Advocacy, Grit, and Growth Mindset! What do these values mean to you? How can we act upon them?

REMINDERS

Looking for info? Have a question? Check out the delegation contact info list. 

Current Events: You can't set good policy if you don't know what's going on in your community, the state, the country, and the world. Check out the "Get Informed" reading link list in Bulletin #2.

Financial Aid: Financial assistance is available and information and applications are available in the paperwork packet. We cannot emphasize this enough: financial concerns should NEVER prevent a delegate from participating in Y&G. Don't ghost! Talk to your lead advisor if financial concerns ever arise. 

Family Corner: 

Enjoy this photo of (about 2/3 of the) Capital Coalition, taken at yesterday's Field Day! And here's one of Gold Country's representatives at the occasion.

S'moresfest Tickets Are Still Available!! Sponsor opportunities are still available, too. As a thank you to our Y&G families for their support, you can use the promo code THANKYOU2019 to get tickets at the early bird price!

Helpful Links:

Missed a bulletin?

Need to make a payment?

Looking for forms or handouts?

Mark your calendars:

October 12 - S'moresfest 2019 YMCA Fundraising Gala (sign up here)

October 18 - Second Payment Due

Oct 23 - Practice Bill Hearing Night

October 28 (Monday) - Mandatory Bill Hearing Night, 6:30-8pm (GV City Hall)

November 9-11 - Training & Elections Conference I (bus to Fresno)

Nov. 15, 2019 - Third Payment Due

December 13, 2019 - Fourth and Final Payment Due

January 18-20, 2020 -Training and Elections 2 Conference (bus to Fresno)
February 13-17, 2020 -72nd Model Legislature & Court (Sacramento)

We are committed to equal program access for all and are dedicated to ensuring the benefits of Y&G are available to every student in our community without regard to financial need. No delegate should ever drop out or refrain from joining because of financial concerns. If you want to do this program, we want you to do this program.