Joseph Seddon, Sierra Lutheran High School sophomore, represents District 17 in the Nevada Youth Legislature.
Sierra Lutheran High School sophomore Joseph Seddon will have opportunities this coming biennium to make a difference for others his age.
Seddon joins 20 others from around the state to be part of the Nevada Youth Legislature and have a say in the issues important to the Silver State’s young people.
The NYL allows high school students to serve two years and offers a chance to represent anywhere from 27,000 to 42,000 youth in their district. They are given various assignments, attend trainings and have a chance to present one bill per term to the Nevada Legislature pertaining to an issue they feel impacts state youth.
Students apply in the Senate district in which they live or attend high school, and each of the state’s 21 senators appoints a youth legislator to represent their district. Terms begin June 1 and end May 31 of odd-numbered years.
Seddon will be serving under Republican Sen. James Settelmeyer of Minden, who represents District 17 covering Churchill, Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties.
Participants oversee town hall meetings to create avenues to reach out to their own constituents and gather ideas on the proposals they eventually present to the legislators whom they’re serving.
They receive inaugural training in Las Vegas, midterm training in Carson City and monthly half-day trainings each school year.
“It was really impactful,” Seddon said of the initial training. “We heard from former youth legislators and what they took out of the program, building a lot of skills, how they built their proposals.”
Seddon said he originally learned about the program through his school newsletter and submitted his application. Part of the process was to write a proposal addressing needs or challenges today’s youth are experiencing, and he proposed the lack of technology to teens given many are working remotely from home for school or in a hybrid model to complete their studies.
“Some form of technology is necessary for online and sometimes that is not available so everybody could learn,” Seddon said.
He said he’s already taking the advice from program alumni to heart.
“Former legislators are saying it’s important to form relationships even though it seems daunting, but it’s an important part of the program to ask questions and a big part of the training, so let’s send an e-mail to everyone in the district so you can create that relationship with them,” Seddon said.
He’ll also be responsible for running a town hall and meeting with other youth in his district.
“Mine will be early next year, so I’m going to reach out and ask about tips and tricks about how to run a public meeting and get the best advice from the youth in the district,” he said.
The Youth Legislature isn’t all that’s on Seddon’s slate of activities for the year. He’s also a member of the Reno Youth Philharmonic, having taken violin lessons for about seven years. He plays baseball and takes part in Sierra Lutheran’s Academic Olympics. He also leads chapel.
Eventually, he would like to study biochemistry in college, he says, but also is leaving his options open to majoring in business or administration and feels the skills he will gain from being a part of the Youth Legislative program will refine his academic goals.
“How to give good presentations and be a good leader, that has helped me to reach out to this program, and hopefully I’ll succeed in this,” he said.
Seddon asked to express his thanks to Settelmeyer, Assemblywoman Robin Titus of District 38 and Assemblyman Jim Wheeler of District 39 for their support in the application process.
“Sen. Settelmeyer sent letters, and I’ve received responses,” he said of early communications so far. “He said I could call anytime, and the same with Assemblyman Wheeler, and that was very kind.”
