Youth in Government Conferences Teach Students About Politics

Students take a picture on the steps of a building

  • Published April 26, 2023

    Five WCS high school students were invited to the YMCA Conference on National Affairs (CONA) after their success at this year's Tennessee Youth in Government Conferences.

    Brentwood High students Brent Driver and Jack Henry, Nolensville High's Ruby Douglas and Ravenwood High's Gauri Adarsh and Manavi Bajpai all received invitations to the CONA, which is the highest honor a student can earn at the conference.

    The annual Youth in Government Conferences give middle and high school students around Tennessee an inside look at the political process and the opportunity to become government officials for the day. Students create and debate bills with their peers while serving as representatives, senators, lawyers, lobbyists and more.

    Four students from Ravenwood High received the Frank Drowota Supreme Court Award: Oluwaseyi Amosun, Ajay Balaje, Manushri Kalasikam and Siona Bhattacharya. Their classmate, Malvika Rao, received the Governor's Cabinet Member Award.

    Many students were also elected to officer positions, such as Chief Clerks, Floor Leaders and Chief Justice. Additionally, students received awards such as Outstanding Statesperson and Outstanding Bill.

    The students who were honored at the conferences are listed below by school:

Brentwood High

  • Outstanding Statesperson

    • Ruby Baker
    • Ryan Gardocki
    • Ava Rice
    • Meredith Yount

    Outstanding Bill

    • Ivy Allen
    • Samyuktha Babu
    • Hannah Hollings
    • Daniel Makar
    • Arshia Malhotra
    • Geon Park
    • So Young Park
    • Ahbi Patel
    • Teebro Paul
    • Neha Thanigaivelan

    Youth in Government Officers

    • Brent Driver - Speaker of the Red House
    • Ivy Allen - Floor Leader of the White House
    • Jackson Henry - Red Lieutenant Governor

    YMCA Conference on National Affairs - Delegates

    • Brent Driver
    • Jack Henry

Fairview High

  • Outstanding Statesperson

    • Amelia Henson

Franklin High

  • Outstanding Statesperson

    • Shira Binshtin
    • Elle Case
    • Maya Everhart

    Outstanding Bill

    • Coleman Clemmons
    • Jake Dannemiller
    • Madison Elliott
    • Maya Gemignani
    • Owen Gemignani
    • Wilder Kinzig
    • Becca Sharman

    Youth in Government Officers

    • Haley Jaworski - Chief Clerk of the White House
    • Lindsay Hornick - Chief Clerk of the Red House
    • Rinaz Jamal - Red Chief Engrossing Clerk

Independence High

  • Youth in Government Officers

    • Jackson Hayes - Speaker Pro-Temp of the Blue House

Nolensville High

  • Outstanding Statesperson

    • Jonathan Okokhere
    • Iniyan Rajkumar
    • Natalie Victory

    Outstanding Bill

    • Samuel Bacigalupo
    • Deepak Balamurugan
    • Stone Bell
    • Nathan Blackwell
    • Korah Burgun
    • Charles Jarrell
    • Tanush Jegannathan
    • McKnight Lassiter
    • Jason Lim
    • Elebetel Negusse
    • Joud Nofal
    • Jonathan Okokhere
    • Lauren Sykes
    • Michael Tadrous
    • Sarah Voss

    Youth in Government Officers

    • Isabella Conn - Chief Clerk of the Red House
    • Michael Tadrous - Floor Leader of the White House
    • Ruby Douglas - Floor Leader of the Blue House
    • Medhini Rajkumar - Red Lieutenant Governor

    Conference on National Affairs - Delegates

    • Ruby Douglas

    Conference on National Affairs - Alternates

    • Michael Tadrous

Ravenwood High

  • Outstanding Bill

    • Sydney Doak
    • Diana Lu

    Outstanding Statesperson

    • Johan Gigme
    • Yug Patel
    • Avantika Pillai
    • Divya Shrivastava
    • Ananya Tanjore

    Youth in Government Officers

    • Anshika Prasad - Chief Clerk of the White Senate
    • Ashima Grover - Floor Leader of the Blue Senate
    • Claire Moser - Chief Clerk of the Blue House
    • Debra Zhang - Attorney General
    • Gauri Adarsh - White Lieutenant Governor
    • Kerigan Moore - Solicitor General
    • Krish Himatsingani - Speaker Pro-Temp of the Blue House
    • Manavi Bajpai - Chief Justice
    • Neel Chavan - Speaker Pro-Temp of the Red Senate
    • Rami Ammar - Blue/White Chief Engrossing Clerk
    • Riya Koranne - Head Lobbyist

    Conference on National Affairs - Delegates

    • Gauri Adarsh
    • Manavi Bajpai

    Conference on National Affairs - Alternates

    • Riya Koranne
    • Claire Moser
    • Debra Zhang

    Frank Dowota Supreme Court Awards

    • Oluwaseyi Amosun and Ajay Balaje
    • Manushri Kalasikam and Siona Bhattacharya

    Governor's Cabinet Member Award

    • Malvika Rao

Summit High

  • Outstanding Statesperson

    • Caroline Constantine
    • Emma Haddon
    • Mia Murgas
    • Kaila Pierce
    • Anne Marie Richards

    Outstanding Bill

    • Caroline Constantine
    • Emma Haddon

    Conference on National Affairs - Alternate

    • Caroline Constantine