Second of Two Parts
Re “9 Culver High Y&G Students Are Sacramento-Bound”
[img]1702|left|Katherine Laase||no_popup[/img]Every Thursday evening, Katherine Laase, the Youth and Family Programs Director at the Culver-Palms YMCA, takes her Youth & Government students to the seat of activity in Culver City, Council Chambers.
Beginning at 6 o’clock and continuing for 90 minutes, the Culver City High School students immerse themselves in a hands-on study of American-style democracy, how the interlocking agencies of governments and the courts work.
Tomorrow afternoon, Ms. Laase and nine of her prize pupils will fly off to Sacramento where they will spend six days practicing statewide government as a reward for their skills and promise they have displayed.
The nine are:
Lena Kettering, Susana Kalish, Kenneth Snyder, Martin Beer, Isaac Harris, Roy Gonzalez, Sydney Hibbs, Michelle Gonzalez and Ryan Gray.
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Ms. Kettering
Culver High Principal Dylan Farris, who was Ms. Laase’s advisor in her undergraduate days, is a major supporter of the Youth & Government program. His daughter and wife both are veterans of Y&G.
Ms. Laase said that both the school and Culver-Palms YMCA have been working diligently to reinforce a relationship that occasionally has frayed. One reason is that students occasionally are required to miss classes because of training obligations.
“The relationship between the school and the YMCA has been really positive since I have been in charge of the program, and Dylan has been awesome.
“There have been issues with the Athletic Dept., but we are working toward having flexibility on both ends. That way the coaches get what they need out of their payers and I get what I need out of my delegates as well,” said Ms. Laase who was a four-year athlete at Culver High.
As the Culver-Palms YMCA’s instructor of the Y&G program, the lone paid employee, she heads a team of volunteers “who have gone through an extensive screening and training process. All of them once were participants in their school days.
“We help run officer meetings every Monday – we have eight different officers. Eventually they become leaders because we want this to be entirely kid-led.”
Ms. Laase may be contacted at katherinelaase@ymcala.org
