Sycamore High School Students Shine at 2025 Youth and Government State Assembly

On March 20, 32 Sycamore High School students traveled to Springfield to take part in the annual Youth and Government State Assembly. Nearly 1,000 students from across Illinois gathered at the state capitol to participate in this immersive mock government experience. They used the Capitol building, House and Senate chambers, and seats of current elected officials to present, debate, and attempt to pass their student-created legislation.

Sycamore’s delegation came prepared, bringing six Freshman Legislative Assistant (LA) proposals, six student-created bills, four Special Committee bills developed by Sophomore Lobbyists, and two major office candidates: Justin Wu for Youth Governor and Nate Burgess for Lieutenant Governor.

Three students—Liam Berry, Nate Burgess, and Justin Wu—were elected to serve as Committee Chairs, earning them a spot at Student Leadership Day. Throughout the Assembly, these students guided debate, led discussions, and modeled exemplary leadership.

In the Freshman LA Forum Competition, Sycamore saw continued success for the fourth year in a row. Claire Hua earned 2nd place in the state for her proposal on improving marijuana regulation and distribution policies in Illinois. Will Dukes followed closely behind with a 3rd place finish for his proposal on implementing fair policies around legacy admissions at Illinois universities.

“You could really see the thoughtfulness and research that went into their proposals,” said Jordan Wilkerson, Youth and Government Club Advisor. “Their ability to communicate their ideas clearly and passionately made a big impression on the judges.”

For the first time in program history, Sycamore made major waves in the Sophomore Lobbyist Competition. Sophomores earned points throughout the weekend by testifying on student bills. Josh Miller placed 2nd in the state, and Gus Gauthier placed 3rd—a remarkable accomplishment for our first major appearance in this category. Josh also authored a Special Committee Bill proposing flashing highway light systems to prevent wrong-way driving accidents, while Noah Murcia passed a Special Committee Resolution honoring the memory of a long-time Youth and Government staff member. His willingness to partner with advisors at the state level was thoughtful and appreciated by those who knew her.

“Seeing Noah step up to honor the memory of an influential Youth and Government staff member in such a meaningful way in such a meaningful way speaks volumes about the kind of leaders we’re developing in this program,” Wilkerson said.

Sycamore’s juniors and seniors served as Senators and Representatives, authoring six bills in teams of 2–4 students. Two of those bills passed the Assembly and were signed into law by the Youth Governor. Phoenix Calabrese, Nolan Edwards, Michael Kuropas, and Benji Devroye authored a bill introducing mental health screenings for potential gun owners to help prevent gun-related deaths. Bruno Wilkerson, Justin Wu, Devin Karda, and Kaiden Von Schnase successfully passed a bill limiting the sale of high-caffeine products to minors, aimed at protecting youth from harmful side effects and health risks.

For his exceptional debate and speaking skills, Phoenix Calabrese was named Most Effective Representative, placing him among the top six legislators in the state. This marks the third consecutive year that a Sycamore student has earned this prestigious recognition.

Though our major office candidates were not elected, both Justin Wu and Nate Burgess ran dynamic campaigns, built connections with students and schools across Illinois, and delivered powerful speeches to crowds of thousands.
Wilkerson also commended Jack Smith, Kennedy McCoy, and Morgan Hendricks for stepping up to speak in the House and Senate chambers—not just on behalf of Sycamore’s bills, but in support of proposals from other schools.

“They stood by their own values without diminishing the values or opinions of other students,” he said. “They conducted themselves with professionalism and integrity. They were amazing representatives of Sycamore High School at a State-level event.”

Looking back on the weekend, Wilkerson summed it up best.

“I am very proud of all of our Sycamore Youth and Government students for what they accomplished in Springfield. Seeing the ideas they came up with and put into action—and the professional manner in which they debated—is something that gives everyone hope for the future of government and civic leadership.”