The History of Ohio Youth & Government
Ohio’s YMCA Youth & Government program began in 1952 and reflects the idea that “Democracy must be learned by each generation” – Ben Franklin. Our founder, the late C. William O’Neill, was the only person in Ohio history to be elected to the highest office in all three branches of Ohio government, having served as speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, governor and chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. He worked with YMCA staff to create the Ohio YMCA Youth & Government program.
Ohio YMCA Youth & Government continues to produce great leaders year after year. The Ohio YMCA Youth & Government was previously organized by the Ohio-West Virginia YMCA until December 2012 when they chose to leave the YMCA family and become an independent non-profit. At that time the Ohio Alliance of YMCA’s chose to continue the YMCA program for the YMCA’s in Ohio.
In 2015 the Ohio Alliance of YMCAs expanded to offer a Middle School State Assembly for students in 6th to 8th grade. In 2025, the Middle School State Assembly was absorbed into the High School State Assemblies to create one large event for students grades 7-12.
Legislation first proposed in Youth & Government now is seen in more than three hundred actual laws in our states including those that:
- Require signal lights at railroad crossings
- Reclaim strip mined land
- Hold 18 year olds responsible for contracts they sign
- Create the white line on the side of the road
- Establish “right turn on red”
- Established Special Education
- Provide for driver’s education
- Promote campaign finance reform
- Provide for medical malpractice reform
- Ratification of the 26th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States granting the vote to 18 year olds