The California YMCA hosts a program every year called Youth and Government. Many YMCA branches from all over the state convene three times a year for massive conferences held for the training, election and running of a high school-led model legislature and court.

In 2004/2005 the Culver City YMCA (CPY or Culver-Palms YMCA) ran a candidate for governor named Paul Gardner III. All year we followed Paul and the delegation with cameras in the hopes that we could capture a special moment in these teens lives.