From Classroom to Press Room: Lessons from an unfolding moment
The media program area of Youth in Government gives students the opportunity to report on conference events, practice interviewing, writing, editing, and video recording, challenging students to tell stories about the activities going on around them.
Articles and videos are usually about the bills that the delegates are writing, interviews with other students or advisors, or other conference news. But sometimes, the media program gets the opportunity to step back from the conference and apply its media skills as current events unfold.
On Friday, January 10, 2026, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey held a public press conference to discuss the situation involving an ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agent shooting a woman. This incident occurred just days before the YIG conference began, and tensions were high in Minneapolis.
On Thursday night, YIG media learned they would attend the press conference the following day. Lucy Wilder, an 11th grader from the Statewide Delegation, served as the Media Director during the conference. She shared,
“I found out I was going to the press conference the night before, and I was excited. It felt surreal to be there and take in what was happening, but it also felt like we were a part of it all. We observed Minneapolis senators and various higher-ups talking before and after the conference, and it was odd to be a fly on that wall.
It felt like we were hearing things above our pay grade as YIG delegates with no real credentials. I was able to shake Mayor Frey’s hand after he was done answering questions, and that is the highlight of my YIG experience thus far. It was an amazing and one-of-a-kind experience. I would never have had that opportunity if it weren’t for YIG.”
After the press conference, YIG delegate Sylvia Ramlo, a 12th-grader with the Fridley Delegation, wrote a story for the YIG newspaper detailing the experience. Her complete story is below. She shared, “YIG media is important because we help people understand what is happening in each of the program areas.”
Sylvia added, “The media program at YIG is so important because it gives us real experience as journalists in the context of the conference and beyond. In the media program, we learn how to conduct interviews properly, write articles, use cameras, edit anything and everything. Especially for those looking to enter careers in media, especially political journalism, this program is it. I’ve loved my experience in Media, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone.”
