NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — For Tennessee middle schoolers in the YMCA's Youth in Government program, months of research, writing, and debate were building toward one day at the State Capitol — until the Governor called a special session.
The May 8 conference was canceled after the House and Senate said they could not accommodate the event. Students across the state had been preparing since January, meeting after school with volunteer faculty to research and write bills they planned to present at the Capitol.
For Logan Rogers, a Brentwood father whose eighth-grade daughter had participated in the program for two years, the cancellation hit especially hard.
"She has gotten to go down to the Capitol and present bills the last two years," Rogers said.
His daughter's bill this year focused on driver's license training for senior citizens. Her previous bills covered agricultural issues. The work began in January, with students meeting after school — meaning faculty members were also giving up their own time.
"They've been working on this for months, and it is an exciting bit of experience to get to go down to the Capitol," Rogers said.
The cancellation notice arrived by email on a Monday.
"The email just said, 'Hope you're having a wonderful day. We've been contacted by the House and Senate to let us know that they will not be able to accommodate us for the Middle School Youth and Government Conference on Friday,'" Rogers said.
Rogers said the message left families with more questions than answers and that he had hoped for alternative options rather than a simple "we'll see you next year."
"And to have the rug pulled out at this late stage is unfortunate and honestly feels insensitive to the work that the students and the faculty have put into this," Rogers said.
For his daughter and her eighth-grade classmates, the timing made the loss more significant — it was their final year eligible for the middle school conference. Rogers said the school is trying to make the best of it, replacing the Capitol trip with a 30-minute party at the school instead.
Rogers was clear that his frustration is not political.
"This is not a political stand at all. This is more the unintended consequence of this," Rogers said.
Still, he did not hold back on how he views the decision's impact on students.
"To have the representatives basically turn, you know, turn their back on kids in this manner is a bad look for them," Rogers said.
He hopes leaders will reschedule the conference once the special session concludes and says the students themselves model the kind of conduct he wishes he saw more of at the Capitol.
"I would invite them to come to Youth in Government and learn a little about polite discourse and compromise," Rogers said.
Rogers said he hopes the experience does not dampen the enthusiasm young people have for learning how government works.
"This is just an unfortunate little roadblock for them," Rogers said.
The YMCA said it is disappointed the middle school event will not take place at the Capitol on May 8. The organization noted that this spring alone, the program engaged nearly 2,800 students at five other conferences. The YMCA said the learning is not lost — teachers' efforts are deeply appreciated — and that volunteers will still judge the bills, with Outstanding Bill Awards going out in the coming weeks.
The YMCA's Youth in Government program has operated at the Tennessee State Capitol for more than 70 years, teaching students how laws are made through hands-on participation in the legislative process.
This story was reported on-air by journalist Kelsey Gibbs and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
You never know what impact you can have on others — Patsy Montesinos brings us that reminder with a story featuring some very familiar faces. Enjoy this story and go vote for Shante!
- Carrie Sharp
