{"id":14083,"date":"2026-03-04T10:26:15","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T18:26:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/sanjuan\/?p=14083"},"modified":"2026-03-04T11:17:47","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T19:17:47","slug":"2026-kyg-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/sanjuan\/2026\/03\/04\/2026-kyg-report\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Know Your Government Conference \u2013 San Juan County 4\u2011H Impact Report"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEvent Dates\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\tFebruary 13-16, 2026\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/article>\n\n
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\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLocation\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\tEvergreen State College – Olympia, Washington\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/article>\n\n
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\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tParticipants\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t5 youth (Orcas & San Juan Island), 1 adult volunteer\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/article>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Why This Matters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Know Your Government (KYG) Conference connects teens with real-world civics, leadership training, and the three branches of government. For rural youth, opportunities like this expand their sense of what\u2019s possible, strengthen community voice, and build confidence in participating in state-level decision-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Event Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

San Juan County sent a delegation of five 4\u2011H members to Olympia for the annual Know Your Government (KYG) Conference, where the 2026 theme focused on the Legislative System. Youth explored how Washington\u2019s legislative process works by drafting bills, participating in committee hearings, debating amendments, and voting in full mock House and Senate sessions. Delegates from across the state brought forward bills on a wide variety of topics, providing a hands\u2011on opportunity to experience how ideas move through committees, negotiations, and floor votes. The conference culminated in youth applying their skills in realistic legislative simulations and engaging directly with local lawmakers at the Capitol.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\r\n\n\n

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By the Numbers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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  • 5 youth delegates<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 1 adult volunteer<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 2 islands represented (Orcas & San Juan)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 3 days of experiential civic learning<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 1 county-wide bill drafting session<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 6+ hours preparing for, testifying on, and voting on statewide bills<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Multiple meetings with local legislators<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<\/div>\r\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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    Program Highlights<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Highlights from this year\u2019s conference included direct engagement with legislators, hands\u2011on bill drafting, and building connections with youth statewide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Meeting With Local Legislators<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Youth visited the Capitol on Monday to engage in meaningful conversations with their elected officials. Delegates asked questions about public service, learned how bills move through committees and floor sessions, and shared the issues they care about most as island youth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Drafting and Debating Youth\u2011Led Bills<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    In mixed\u2011county groups, participants drafted a wide variety of bills based on topics they felt were relevant to their communities. Youth prepared testimony, presented their bills in committee hearings, proposed amendments, and engaged in debate before voting in full mock House and Senate sessions. This hands\u2011on process deepened delegates\u2019 understanding of how policy is created, negotiated, and enacted in Washington State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Statewide Youth Connections<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Delegates built friendships with peers from across Washington through workshops, group sessions, and collaborative bill work. Many expressed excitement about reconnecting at Teen Conference or returning to KYG next year.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\n

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    \r\n\t\t\tA huge honor for our delegates! Our San Juan County 4-H group had the opportunity to meet with State Representative Debra Lekanoff inside the beautiful Legislative Building. Connecting with our local representatives is what the Know Your Government conference is all about!\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/article>\n\n
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    \r\n\t\t\tOur San Juan County 4-H delegates standing tall at the Washington State Capitol! These young leaders are in Olympia for the 2026 Know Your Government conference, gaining a front-row seat to how our state’s democracy works.\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/article>\n\n
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    \r\n\t\t\tMaking new friends in Olympia! Our delegates took a quick break to hang out with Speedy the Geoduck. It\u2019s not every day you get to meet a mascot as unique as the Pacific Northwest itself!\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/article>\n<\/div>\n\n
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    Youth Development Impacts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Civic Literacy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Participants gained a first-hand understanding of how state government functions, including how bills move through committees, hearings, and revisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Leadership & Communication<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Youth practiced public speaking, collaboration, debate, and respectful discussion across differences\u2014core 4\u2011H leadership competencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    STEM & Policy Awareness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Engaging in AI policy drafting (the topic of San Juan County’s bill) introduced teens to technology ethics, data privacy, environmental considerations, agriculture, public safety, and other emerging topics that appeared in their bills\u2014building future\u2011ready civic and analytical skills.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\r\n\n\n

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    Quotes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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    San Juan County youth have truly cemented themselves as mainstays at the KYG conference. Seeing new and returning youth getting to experience the conference this year and step up to help in their small groups is very rewarding as county staff<\/em>.<\/p>\nClinton Gauthier, San Juan County 4-H Coordinator & KYG Conference Event Coordinator<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n<\/div>\r\n\n<\/div>\n\n

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    Looking Ahead<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    San Juan County youth expressed strong interest in returning to KYG and in future civic engagement programs. Staff are exploring ways to integrate more government\u2011 and policy\u2011focused learning into 2026\u20132027 4\u2011H offerings, including partnerships with local government and opportunities for youth advisory involvement.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    San Juan County 4\u2011H delegates spent Presidents\u2019 Day weekend in Olympia exploring Washington\u2019s legislative process through hands\u2011on bill drafting, committee hearings, floor debate, and meetings with local lawmakers at the 2026 Know Your Government Conference.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":130,"featured_media":14016,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_external_link":"","_expiration_date":""},"categories":[29,1],"tags":[16,34],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/sanjuan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14083"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/sanjuan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/sanjuan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/sanjuan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/130"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/sanjuan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14083"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/sanjuan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14083\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14109,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/sanjuan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14083\/revisions\/14109"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/sanjuan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14016"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/sanjuan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14083"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/sanjuan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14083"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/sanjuan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14083"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}