Wendy Allard heads program with over a dozen Steuben County youth enrolled
Youth In Government interns from Addison, Campbell Savona, Corning, Hammondsport, Prattsburgh, and Wayland Cohocton high schools recently met in the county Public Safety Building. Sheriff Jim Allard speaks about his department’s work.
The long running Steuben County Youth In Government program is in full swing, with 16 interns under the guidance of the program’s new coordinator Wendy Allard. Allard has succeeded Jim Gallagher, who retired from the popular program after 10 years.
The program, now in its fourth decade, introduces high school juniors and seniors to county operations through attending legislative meetings, meeting department heads and related organizations. The students also participate in a simulated legislative session during which they present non-binding resolutions on topics they feel concern Steuben residents.
For Painted Post native Allard, the youth leadership development program is a natural move.
Recently retired after a 28-year career at Addison Central School, Allard taught U.S. History and Government at the school. That instruction included 15 Years as an Accelerated College Enrollment instructor for Corning Community College on the federal government.
She hopes the program encourages the young interns to become more involved in their local governments. “ I was attracted to working with YIG because I have always felt that good people in government can make a tremendous difference in a community,” Allard said. “This program is about learning about local county government; it is also about students learning about and participating in the process of making laws.”
