YAGMAG- Pre-Leg 2026
- Casey Fugere
- Mar 15
- 5 min read
What the Officer Corps has been up to
Jayson Pai, Hunterdon Central; Saahir Vazirani, St. Joseph's
Salutations, New Jersey Youth And Government! We hope you're excited for Pre-Leg and are ready to hear what the Officer Corps has been up to over the last couple of months.
My name is Jayson Pai, and I am a senior from the Hunterdon Central delegation. I look forward to getting to know our future delegates this year and providing them with an engaging and memorable experience this year as Youth Governor.
My name is Saahir Vazirani, and I’m a senior from the St. Joseph delegation as well as the Youth Lieutenant Governor this year! I look forward to delegates finding their own intersectional interests and perhaps career pursuits, especially in relation to policy.
During our term, we’ve sought to lay a foundation for NJYAG to flourish — both within the Officer Corps itself and at this upcoming conference.
The Corps has been increasing its productivity through weekly subcom meetings and new specialized ones too. Discussions on Pre-Leg planning have led to brand new activities, and Crisis Co-Op has developed an exciting topic to apply your YAG skills to a prominent New Jersey issue. The Officer Corps has finished up its in-person meetings this season and are ready to chair the conference, taking their Parli-Pro Quiz at our last gathering. Officers have planned numerous initiatives such as alumni panels, the civic engagement fair, and keynote speakers for delegates to take part in throughout the conference. Get ready for a Pre-Leg (and conference) of infinite possibilities!
We’ve already held our Parliamentary Procedure Overview workshop, with a Debate Enhancement workshop on the way! Our Governors’ Line is another great resource! It has already allowed many delegates to voice their concerns, questions, and suggestions in order for us to iteratively improve. We encourage you to take advantage of this resource; to utilize the Gov Line, send an email to newjerseyyag@gmail.com with your comments, inquiries, or ideas to improve the program.
Additionally, our Governor’s Agenda has finally been released! It is a compilation of issues pertaining to the state of New Jersey that our Gov-Cabinet finds most pressing; uniquely, we have added the first 50 delegates who reach out to the Gov Line and inform us that they used it, will receive direct feedback from us and our cabinet. Feel free to check out the agenda here.
We cannot wait for conference, and we are so excited to see you all there.
What is OIL?
Angelina Busch- Montgomery
Strong communication between leadership and delegations is essential to the success of the NJ YAG program. With hundreds of students participating from delegations across the state, it is important that every delegation receives important updates, resources, and opportunities throughout the year. To support this goal, the NJ YAG Officer Corps has a program called the Officer in Lieu (OIL) Program, an initiative designed to strengthen connections between conference leadership and individual delegations.
The OIL Program is a coordination system developed by the Experiential Conference Subcommittee within the Officer Corps. Its purpose is to streamline communication between the conference and participating schools while ensuring that every delegation feels supported and represented. By establishing clear lines of communication, the program helps create a more organized and connected experience for all delegates.
The program is especially designed to support schools and delegations that do not currently have a member serving on the Officer Corps. In many cases, delegations that already have a state officer benefit from a direct connection to conference leadership. However, schools without that representation may find it more difficult to stay informed about deadlines and opportunities within the program. The OIL Program addresses this gap by creating the role of officer liaison within these delegations, ensuring that every school has a consistent point of contact within the Officer Corps.
At the center of the program are the liaisons, who are members of the Officer Corps assigned to work with specific delegations and their leadership. These liaisons act as the primary link between the Officer Corp, volunteer staff, and their assigned schools. Their role is to ensure smooth communication by sharing important announcements, answering questions, and providing resources that help delegates prepare for the conference.
Liaisons also play an important role in supporting the overall delegate experience. As members of the Officer Corps, they are focused on creating a positive and engaging environment for participants. By maintaining regular communication with delegations, they can help address concerns early and ensure that delegates feel confident and prepared for conference.
In addition to providing updates and support, the OIL Program also creates a valuable two-way communication channel between delegations and the Officer Corps. Delegation contacts can share questions, feedback, and ideas with their liaison, who then brings that information back to the Officer Corps. This feedback helps conference leadership better understand the needs and experiences of delegates across the state, allowing them to make improvements that strengthen the program.
Overall, the Officer in Lieu (OIL) Program represents an important step toward building a more connected and inclusive NJ YAG community. By providing officer liaisons for delegations to those without representation in the Officer Corps, the program ensures that every school has access to the support they deserve. Through stronger communication and collaboration, the OIL Program helps make the NJ YAG experience more effective and meaningful for delegates across New Jersey.
How Youth and Government has formed me into who I am today
Casey Fugere, St. Joseph's
Throughout my life, I have always struggled to find my voice among my peers. As I grew up, making friends proved difficult in a community that I struggled to fit in with.
In April 2023, I embarked on my first Youth and Government conference with little to no idea of what to expect. Sure, I did MUN in January, but I was doing something completely different from General Assembly A, in joining the Press Corps. Around this time, I started digging my heels into something that would become one of my passions, in photography.
Originally, I joined just for the ability to walk around and use my camera, but I quickly fell in love with media and how it is used in the world, and how it is used in government. The experience that I had throughout that fateful weekend in April gave me that voice that I had been seeking for my entire life.
When I was asked to become an officer in the summer of 2024, it was a no brainer. While the road to chairing brought me through many highs and lows, I learned so much about who I am, how I work with others, and how to lead others. But throughout my time in the Officer Corps, I have met some of my closest friends, from all different parts of New Jersey. This amazing, diverse group of people has truly changed my life for the better.
This program helped me grow and mature from a kid struggling to find his identity, to one that is confident in himself and his abilities, and that YAG moment has changed who I am for the better.
This little passion of mine that I only pursued because I was given a camera, spiraled into something I could see myself doing for the rest of my life. As I intend to go to Penn State in the Fall, majoring in Journalism, this program will always hold a special place in my heart. As we move into the 2026 conference, I hope that YAG moment happens for you.