Hutchison Sophomores Get Hands-On Experience in Politics Through Youth in Government

Twelve Hutchison sophomores rose to the challenge of running the State Capitol at the Youth in Government Tristar Conference in Nashville. Part of the Tennessee YMCA Youth in Government Program, the annual Tristar Conference is designed to offer high school and middle school students a hands-on experience with state government. Students roleplay and take the places of real government officials.

As state senators and House representatives at the conference, Hutchison participants wrote and presented five bills, which all made it through committee and onto the Senate and House dockets. A bill written by Hira Janjua ’24 and Shifa Qureshi ’24 bill was signed into law after passing in both the Senate and the House. The legislation made CPR training mandatory for schoolteachers. A bill by Adela Calzada ’24 and Olivia Lester ’24 that proposed mental health seminars in schools passed in the Senate. Noorain Gill ’24 and Maddie Lee ’24 wrote a bill protecting children in foster care, and it passed in the House and Senate.

In addition to these successes, Adela Calzada ’24 and Sarah-Catherine Jackson ’24 received Outstanding Statesperson awards, and Noorain Gill ’24 and Maddie Lee ’24 received an Outstanding Bill award. Congratulations!


The following students participated in the Youth in Government Tristar Conference:

• Adela Calzada ’24
• Zelia Cedeño-Avila ’24
• Lauren Coleman ’24
• Izzy Ellis ’24
• Noorain Gill ’24
• Sarah-Catherine Jackson ’24
• Hira Janjua ’24
• Caroline Kim ’24
• Maddie Lee ’24
• Olivia Lester ’24
• Shifa Qureshi ’24
• Sakshi Singh ’24

We are proud of our girls' hard work and civic engagement during this wonderful learning opportunity. Hutchison educates young women for success and lives of integrity and responsible citizenship. We teach our girls to think critically and engage in civil discourse.