Staff Report DRIPPING SPRINGS — Eight students from Dripping Springs High School qualified for the 2025 Texas Youth and Government State Conference after competing at the Austin District Conference on Saturday, Nov. 16.
Of the eight students, six of them qualified in the judicial section: Danica Best ( judge), Anvika Jain (attorney), Abir Kulkarni (attorney), Ava Crane (witness), Luci Gomez (witness) and Jenna Hall (witness). The judicial section allows students to participate in a mock trial setting.
One student, Rebeca Avalos Oviedo, was named a state qualifier in the legislative section. In this section, participants identify issues for legislation, bill writing, debating, bill presentation and participation in a legislative body.
Lastly, Elise Kellogg qualified in the media section, where students gain real-life experience in journalism through the publication of a newspaper, social media content and a news broadcast.
Youth and Government is a national program of the YMCA that involves more than 50,000 students nationwide in state-organized, modelgovernment programs. Students can immerse themselves in experiential civic engagement debate issues that affect citizens in their state and even propose legislation.
The Texas Youth and Government State Conference will be held Feb.
27 through March 2 at the Kalahari Resort in Round Rock.
