About CONA

This summer, Kansas YAG participants are able to attend the YMCA Youth Conference on National Affairs (CONA). This year, we’re excited to announce that CONA will be back at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly! CONA brings together around 600 YAG students from over 30 states. Participants research issues of national and international concern, organize this information into a written proposal, engage in intensive discussion, and debate these proposals with outstanding young people from other states.

Key Dates

• January 20: Join us for a CONA Interest Meeting at 7:30pm on Zoom. We will provide an overview of the conference and answer your questions. Click here to register for the Zoom. Attendance is not required to apply for CONA.
• February 16: CONA Applications are due by 11:59pm CT. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. Click here to apply!
• March 9: Anticipated date to announce 2025 delegation.
• March 27: Non-refundable deposit of $100 is due to the YAG State Office. Missing this payment deadline will mean relinquishing your spot at CONA.
• April 10: Deposit of $500 is due to the YAG State Office.
• May 22: Remaining program fee of $900 is due to the YAG State Office.
• June 26 – July 3: We will depart from St. Louis in the evening of June 26 and return there in the afternoon of July 3.

CONA Application

Click here to apply for the YMCA Conference on National Affairs (CONA). The application deadline is February 16th by 11:59 p.m. Applications must be received by this date. Incomplete and/or late applications will not be considered. Students applying to participate in CONA must have participated in a YMCA Youth and Government program in the past year. Submitting an application does not guarantee participation in CONA. Space is limited due to state limits set by the conference, which is a maximum of 27 students per state. Delegates will be selected to attend based on their application and their participation at the Youth and Government State Conference. Past participation at CONA is not a guarantee of selection. The application requires you to submit an adult reference, which could be your delegation advisor, teacher, coach, community leader, etc. Your reference may be contacted to provide additional information to aid our selection process. The application also requires you to answer four questions, which are listed below. Please give some thought to these questions before submitting your application.

• ABOUT YOU: Take a moment to introduce yourself. What has been your experience in Youth and Government? Are there other activities or experiences (YAG and non-YAG) which you feel have prepared you for a national YAG conference? (250 words or less)
• QUESTION 1: What skills do you hope to develop or grow through a national YAG program, and how do you plan to use them in the future? (200 words or less)
• QUESTION 2: If you could create a law or policy to improve your community, what would it be and why? (200 words or less)
• QUESTION 3: What is a topic or issue you are passionate about discussing or debating? Why does it interest you? (200 words or less)
• QUESTION 4: What is one experience that helped shape who you are and how did it do so? (200 words or less)

Cost

The 2026 CONA program fee is $1,500 per student. Included in the fee is the cost of coach bus transportation to and from CONA, departing from St. Louis. The program fee includes lodging, most meals, and program expenses for the entire week. Students should bring about $50 for meals to and from CONA and any incidentals students may want to purchase at CONA. Payment can be made online or sent by mail to: YMCA Youth and Government P.O. Box 104176 Jefferson City, MO, 65110 The State Office will mail one payment to CONA for all student registration fees. Fees are non-refundable once they are paid to YMCA Youth and Government.

Delegation Meetings

Our CONA Delegation will meet on the following days via Zoom to plan and prepare for the conference. An in-person meeting before the conference may be scheduled as well. All meetings will be by Zoom from 7:30-8:30pm

• March 22
• April 12
• May 17
• June 14

Additional meetings will be scheduled as needed.

Proposals

Each student delegate participating in CONA is required to write a proposal on a matter of importance to our nation, and will debate that proposal in a series of committees at CONA. The proposal must be written on a topic with national or international scope. Proposals are submitted by each student online after registration and selection, and the YAG State Office will help students work on the drafts of their proposals. Each state delegation can only have one proposal per subject matter.  Once selected for CONA, students will receive an email from the State Office outlining the deadlines for proposal submission, including approval of topics. The CONA Proposal Writing Guide (PDF) can assist you in developing your proposal. Please review before you begin researching and writing.