ON THIS PAGE: Advisor Role Prior to Assembly • Adult's Role at Assembly • Incidences & Exceptions • Advisor Testimonials (see left menu for more advisor related materials)
Advisor Information
The Kentucky YMCA could not function without our outstanding Advisors. They serve as coaches, mentors, and teachers to the members of their delegation and are essential to the smooth functioning of the conference.
They inspire and motivate, while allowing their students to take on leadership roles. Advisors are responsible for registration and supervision at conferences, but more importantly, change teens’ lives every day. We allow up to one advisor/adult chaperone per 10 students to attend our conferences.
Advisor Role Prior to Assembly
In preparation for KYA, successful delegations often hold these types of meetings:
Informational meetings
Open to everyone (class visits, assemblies, etc) to discuss Student Y and KYA.
Interest meetings
Held for students interested in attending KYA, as well as their guardians to discuss broad goals, programs, and roles in which students can serve.
Bill Writing Workshops
Held for Bill Sponsors or all KYA Delegates to discuss how to generate bill topics, write bills, present bills, and debate.
- New delegations are strongly encouraged to hold these types of meetings.
- Regional directors are available to facilitate preparation of and/or participate in any meetings.
- Review the dress code thoroughly with your students prior to the conference.
Please reach out to your Outreach Director to schedule one of these meetings with your delegation. You can find your Outreach Director by clicking on your school's county here.
Adult's Role at Assembly
Adult Meeting
This meeting is mandatory for all advisors and chaperones attending KYA. Any adult attending the assembly must be 21+ years of age OR 2 years out of high school.
- KYA Overview: We will tell you where we need you to be when – the Y-Staff depends on Advisors to help run the conference.
- Expectations: We will explain what we need from you at various times to make the conference run smoothly.
- Contact: We will need a reachable cell phone number from at least one Advisor in each delegation.
- Recruitment of volunteers to fill conference roles.
- Explanation of any conference changes.
Adult Responsibilities
- Make sure participants are adhering to the conference schedule at all times.
- Help control undertone during meetings from all Delegates, not just members of your delegation.
- Enforce dress code for your participants. We ask that you set the example in your own dress.
- Ensure participants know which Committees and Chambers to attend.
- May confiscate cell phones being used by your delegation participants during meetings. Phones will be kept by advisor until after the session ends.
- During free time, Advisors serve as dance monitors, hall patrol, etc.
- Please know where your participants are at all times, follow the dress code, respect delegates and other advisors.
- Please refrain from using computers, phones, headphones, etc or talking loudly while participants are in sessions. You may move to the hallway if necessary.
- Advisors set the tone for all participants at the conference.
Incidences and Exceptions
Arriving Late
- Y-Staff must be informed of late arrivals at check-in and again upon arrival of the participant. Upon arrival the student should sign-in at the Y-Desk, you will be contacted to help them get settled.
Leaving Early (for sickness or other reason)
- Delegates must clear travel plans with Advisor and Y-Staff.
- Parent/Guardian must check delegate out face-to-face with Advisor and Y-Staff, and provide valid photo ID.
- If driving self from the conference, a note must be notarized by the guardian and school.
Behavioral Incidents
If a Code of Conduct rule is violated, advisors and/or Y-Staff may take disciplinary actions at their discretion, including, but not limited to:
- Calls to parent/guardian
- Incident report filled out, signed
- Participant sent home
- School policies implemented
If state or federal law is broken, Y-Staff will notify parent/guardian and law enforcement and participant will be sent home.
Check Out What Advisors Have to Say ...
"I attended my first KYA in 1994 as a 6th grader! I remember feeling so completely out of place and inadequate. I was raised in Appalachia and as such, opportunities to be with people of differing backgrounds were scarce. I went to almost every KYA/KUNA throughout high school and in the latter half of high school, I finally attended LTC and GFI which were truly the perspective shift I needed. Those conferences gave me friends, interests, and values I had never been exposed to before. They shaped me for the better and I'm incredibly grateful for those experiences that came at just the right time in my life.
I decided I wanted to be a high school social studies teacher in no small part because of my experiences with the youth in government programs. I requested my student teaching placement to occur at Henry Clay High School because of their legacy as a highly awarded Y-Club school. I've been here for 17 years now and other than a bit of a break for my own children, I've still been coming to KYA/KUNA trying to pour back into the program some of what I was initially given."
Jamie Clark,Teacher/Department Chair | Social Studies, Fayette County Public Schools Henry Clay High School