A group of Deering High School students joined other Maine students in “running” Maine state government one November weekend, taking control of the State House, debating more than 100 bills and electing a new youth governor. The students were participating in the Maine YMCA Youth and Government program in Augusta Nov. 7, 8 and 9—an opportunity to experience civics lessons firsthand.

The 2025 session marked the 83^rd year of the program. Gov. Janet Mills helped kick off the event, joining the total 168 student participants for lunch on the first day.

“Youth in Government is a National YMCA program for students to learn how their state level governments work through simulation,” explained Darcie Drew, a Deering social studies teacher who is co-advisor to the Deering Youth in Government Club, along with Krista Simonis. 

Drew said Deering began participating two years ago, and the Deering delegation has grown each year since. “Students get to use the real committee rooms and chambers in the State House in Augusta, as well as meet State House employees and elected officials from Maine,” she said. “All of this adds an air of legitimacy to their mock proceedings.”

This year, Drew said, “Deering sent 19 students for the weekend, making us one of the larger delegations. We had students participating in every part of the program! Safa Mohamed served as the youth chief justice to the Supreme Court; Alma Wallace as commissioner of education on the governor's cabinet; Zachary Lee and Colin Brown as lobbyists for national and state organizations; Lattecia Cole and Merritt Holman as media staff; Ivayla Varbanova, Margo Bean, and Mustafa Muhee as House committee chairs; Toby Romano as journal clerk of the House; Daphne Zager and Caiazzo as senators; and Aisha Ahmed, April Thompson, Faiso Hagi, Ezri Pelletier, Isabelle Aden, Camille Sampeur, and Simon Bean as representatives.”

Drew said Deering students met and worked with students from across Maine, including schools as nearby as Brunswick and as far away as Presque Isle. “They read, debated, and voted on more than 100 bills, both silly and serious,’ she said. “Students learned a lot about the Maine government, and about the priorities of young Mainers.” 

She noted that on Sunday, the final day of the session, “students in the program got to vote for the best bill, statesperson of the year, and the next youth governor. The 2025 best bill was ‘An act for the protection of students from immigration enforcement,’ which had passed unanimously through the Education Committee.” As Maine’s new youth governor, the students chose David Shaw of Presque Isle High school—brother of outgoing Youth Governor Mia Shaw.

Drew added, “Now that the conference is over, the club will end for the year, but we look forward to an equally strong delegation next fall!”