DENVER Students who could shape Colorados future are gaining valuable hands-on learning experience this week.The Colorado YMCAs Youth in Government Conference is taking place at the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse in Denver this week. More than 100 high school students from across the state are participating in the mock government conference.They're debating the bills that they have proposed and deciding to either pass or fail these bills in legislation, explained Celeste Medina, the director of the Colorado YMCA Youth in Government program.Students are role-playing as Colorados state government leaders. Sophia Hill, a senior at Holy Family High School in Broomfield, is a state representative at the conference.I wanted to join because all of my friends said that it was really fun, and it's my senior year so I'm kind of just looking for new experiences to try out, Hill said. I hope to know a little bit more about how our government works and how all of the different branches work specifically and have a little bit of experience and maybe even delve a little bit deeper into it later.Some students are role-playing as lobbyists, including Holy Cross High School senior Robert Cerimele.It's kind of nice to be able to go in and out of committees and give your own testimonies, said Cerimele. It's definitely all about campaigning. Obviously, it's to sway and influence votes, but I think lobbyists can also kind of serve as the groundwork for interest groups to be able to kind of make their voice heard and also for them to be able to advocate for bills and acts that would help benefit them and their communities.Holy Family senior Qynton Salyer is serving as the governor.Im the chief executive, said Salyer.In addition to signing or vetoing legislation students send to his desk, Salyers responsibilities include implementing changes students want to see at the conference. Hes also tasked with booking guest speakers.That's been my favorite piece, Salyer said.Salyer said he became deeply interested in politics after sitting in the same chair that former President Barack Obama sat in when he visited Aurora.From that point forward, I just couldn't stop myself, Salyer said. I was bit by the bug and it wouldn't go away.Salyer has even testified before Congress on the importance of youth in politics.There's just not a lot of youth out there that are making their voice known because they don't know how to do it, which is why this conference is so helpful, said Salyer.A recent poll by the Annenberg Public Policy Center showed that only 65% of American adults could name the three branches of government. Less than half could name most of the rights protected in the U.S. Constitution.While several of the students participating in YMCAs Youth in Government program have no interest in pursuing a career in politics, they say its important for all citizens to know how the government works."A lot of times, people that don't know much about the government are the ones that are most frustrated about what our government does, said Salyer. And so, running a mock program like this gets kids foot in the door early, gets them ready for a life of knowing what's going on.