THIS IS WHIGGIE TERRITORY! 🐷 THIS IS TORY TERRITORY! 🐔
WHAT A DAY! With Monday wrapping up, we look back on a day chock-full of exciting activity for our delegates.
We kicked off our morning with Communication Connection. Staffer Mann Boughton led delegates through various activities to help the them sharpen their communication skills 📢 and effectively communicate as a group. We hope that the skills learned during this session will benefit the delegates not only during the week at LYS, but also in everyday life.
The delegation also participated in their first involvement session today (see below to learn about involvement sessions). Spotlight Involvement session of the day: Feelings Through Music, led by staffer Grace Laurent, is the most relaxing and reflective session of the week. This allows delegates to channel their emotions while listening to handpicked inspiring songs 🎶 and expressing themselves through art 🎨. In the middle of the high intensity energy of the week, it is certainly a great time to step back and reflect. The delegates are also encouraged to apply this helpful exercise of reflection and expression to their lives when they return home.
This evening is also Skit Night! Each group incorporates their color, mascot, symbol and theme to make up a fun-filled night! 🎭 “We are proud of you- say we are proud of you!”
POLITICAL PARTY KICKOFF
COMMUNICATION CONNECTION
SPOTLIGHT INVOLVEMENT SESSION OF THE DAY: FEELINGS THROUGH MUSIC
We kicked off the LYS Political Party Process this morning which begs the question, pigs or chickens? The LYS political system has two parties, the Whig Party (🐷) and the Tory Party (🐔). As each of the delegates arrived at LYS they were assigned to one of our two political parties. During LYS delegates will be encouraged to embrace the importance of our freedom of speech and our duty as citizens to participate in the political process by voting. Delegates will have the opportunity to run for office in their respective political party. By giving speeches, voting and participating in a caucus filled with strategy and a whole lot of fun, delegates get a complete look at the political process. We’ll be sure to give you updates!
Party Chairs
Whig PArty 🐷 :
Chair Christian Herpin
Assistant Keagan Davis
TORY PARTY 🐔:
Chair Kate Dantagnan
Assistant Deporres Taplatte
CMST COMPETITION 🖍🐈😀🔬
3rd Place CMST: LICORICE 2nd Place CMST: GUMDROPS
1st Place CMST: ROCK CANDY
Skit Night 🎬
3rd Place Skit: TaFFY 2nd Place Skit: BON BONS
1st Place Skit: LOLLIPOPS
GROUP OF THE DAY ❤️
🥉3rd Place: CHOCOLATE BARS 🥈2nd Place: CARAMELs
🥇MONDAY GROUP OF THE DAY: PEPPERMINTS
“Life isn’t about who you know. Life is about who knows you and what they know about you.”
“You can have an impact on something without having your fingerprints on it.”
POLITICAL PARTY SPEAKER
Edward “Ted” James was born and raised in Baton Rouge. A product of historic McKinley Senior High School, Ted was taught at an early age the value of service and the strength of community. Ted earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Southern University and A & M College and went on to obtain his Juris Doctorate at the Southern University Law Center, graduating cum laude while also serving as the President of the Student Bar Association.
Driven by a deeply held desire to improve the community that raised him, Ted joined Democratic Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco’s administration as the governor’s policy advisor on housing and community development, helping secure a $25 million investment into the Louisiana Housing Trust Fund and serving on the Louisiana Commission on Housing and Community Development.
Ted served as a staff attorney with the Louisiana House of Representatives until he was appointed to serve as Special Counsel to the Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Revenue. Later, Ted was appointed by Republican Governor Bobby Jindal to serve on the Louisiana Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations.
In November 2011, Ted was elected to represent District 101 in the Louisiana House of Representatives. For over a decade, Ted worked across party lines advancing historic reforms spanning state government as Chairman of the Administration of Criminal Justice Committee and Chairman of the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus.
In December 2021, Ted was appointed by President Joe Biden to serve as the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) Regional Administrator for Region 6. In this role, Ted oversaw the administration of SBA products and services throughout the south central United States helping entrepreneurs start, grow and build resilient business across Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas.
In 2017, Ted assumed his most important role yet: father to Harper Ryan. As his daughter grows, Ted worries she, like many in our community, will be forced to one day choose between building her own family in her hometown or moving to pursue greater opportunities. Ted’s running for mayor-president to transform Baton Rouge into a hub of innovation and prosperity, a place we are all proud to call home. So no one’s child is forced to choose between home and opportunity.
This afternoon groups voted on their home group chairperson 🗳. The home group chairperson acts as a liaison between the counselors and the delegates and helps make sure the group completes all of the tasks at hand. The home group chairpersons are:
