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Nevada Youth Legislature reports expanded outreach, scholarships and earlier applications for 2025 term
Summary
NYL staff and board members reported program activity including trainings, donor-funded scholarships, expanded outreach to partner organizations, a shortened application window (applications opened Jan. 1; deadline Feb. 28), and recognition of awards; Sebastian Rios was named a US Senate Youth Program delegate.
The Nevada Youth Legislature reported a year of expanded programming, new scholarship donations and a compressed application timeline for the 2025–2027 term during its fourth interim board meeting.
Program facilitators told the NYL board that youth legislators completed multiple trainings and assignments during 2024 — including negotiation skills training, town halls, a midterm BDR development training in Carson City (Aug. 6–7), and a Nov. 16 assignment to plan testimony for public decision-making bodies. Staff said all 21 youth legislators submitted BDR proposals ahead of the September meeting and that the cohort presented 21 BDRs during the Aug. 31 outside assignment.
Board members were also given a scholarship update listing individual donations reported at the meeting. Donors named by staff included: Assemblywoman Mary Kay Mosca ($500), former youth legislator John Oglesby and his wife Tara ($500), former NYL chair Grant Gabriel ($500), program facilitator Tina Ashdown ($500), former NYL chair Zana Koutoulim ($250) and two additional personal donations of $250 and $1,000 referenced by staff for named scholarships. The speaker did not provide a single verified total for the scholarship fund during the meeting; an application deadline for scholarships was stated as March 31, 2025.
Outreach and recruitment expanded as youth legislators were asked to send outreach letters to three external organizations; staff said 18 youth legislators submitted outreach letters this year and that organizations reached included Girl Scouts, Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth and Project 150. The NYL’s application opened Jan. 1; staff and board members emphasized a shortened application window this cycle and set the youth application deadline at Feb. 28, 2025, and explained the change was intended to increase applicant responsiveness and marketing focus.
Board members also reported awards earned by the NYL program in recent years: staff announced the program has earned 82 awards, 75 of which were described as international recognitions (communication and marketing awards cited by staff). Board member remarks included congratulations to Sebastian Rios, who was named one of Nevada’s two delegates to the U.S. Senate Youth Program for Washington Week in March.
NYL Day in Carson City is scheduled for March 5, 2025; youth legislators will present the NYL bill to the Senate Education Committee, be paired with legislators to advocate in both houses and may submit optional written testimony with a suggested deadline of March 1 for that testimony. Staff said final plans for NYL Day remain in development. The board also announced that youth legislators will finalize the NYL bill language on Jan. 14 ahead of NYL Day.
