Five Youth and Government (YG) students were awarded Distinguished Delegate designations on Saturday at the District 5 Conference in Duncanville. 

For sophomore Sreyas Malakapalli, one of the students who medaled, preparation played a crucial role in his success.

“I looked over each of the bills, well most of them, and took some cursory notes on each, looking mainly at funding and oversight,” Malakapalli said. “For some, I took it further and researched the cost breakdown, and the feasibility, to see how I could possibly back up my arguments.”

20 Redhawks attended the conference with 25% of the delegation earning a medal. 

“To be honest, when they started to announce the High School Legislative awards, it felt like my heart was jumping out of my chest,” sophomore Samhith Akinenni said. “When I finally heard my name called, I almost didn’t believe it and I really questioned if it was real or not.“

Going forward, qualifying delegates are starting preparations for the state conference. 

“The next steps now are preparing for state,” junior Samhitha Polimera said. “I’m going to be debating at state, not clerking, and I want to rewrite my bill.”

“The next step for me is to focus now on the State,” Akinenni said. “Districts was great, but in state, the level of competition is even higher and I will have to bring my A-game in order to do my best.”