The Young Legislators Program (YLP) is an educational program sponsored by the Office of Assemblymember Akilah Weber, M.D. of the 79th Assembly District. Ten students each year will be provided an opportunity to learn about the state legislative process. The goal of the program is to equip our youth with the skills and knowledge to consider a career in government or public service. The Young Legislators will meet for 10 monthly Saturday sessions from January through October from 10AM-12PM to discuss various issues of importance, legislative updates, current events, leadership development, financial literacy, and more. Sessions will be a mixture of virtual and in-person sessions. All in-person sessions will be held at our District Office in La Mesa unless otherwise notified.
Admission to the program is a highly competitive process.
Selection Criteria:
- Rising high school juniors and seniors who live or attend school in the 79th Assembly District.
- Must submit official high school transcript.
- Must complete application form including short essays.
- Must be able to commit to the scheduled sessions.
You must submit your application by December 31, 2022 to be considered. Upon admission to the program, students must submit a participating agreement. We expect our Young Legislators to demonstrate characteristics for collaborative learning and integrity including adaptability, initiative, respect, and maturity. The attire for each session is business casual unless otherwise noted.
Program Dates (4th Saturdays unless otherwise noted):
- Session #1 – January: The Legislative Process
- Session #2 – February: Public Policy & Administration
- Session #3 – March: Virtual bill idea session.
- Session #4 – April: Leadership Development & Cultural Sensitivity
- Session #5 – May: Virtual bill idea session.
- Session #6 – June: Financial Literacy & Preparing for College
- Session #7 – July: Summer Break – no class.
- Session #8 – August: Volunteer at Backpack Giveaway – no class.
- Session #9 – September: Bill idea session
- Session #10 – October: Final class, bill idea presentations.