The Daily Delegate

By Daniella Jaramillo

When asking candidates about the deeper meaning behind their campaign, they were all prompted with the V.O.T.E.R.S acronym. The V.O.T.E.R.S framework, which evaluates Values, Objectives, Track Record, Evidence, and Substance. Their responses provide insight into their priorities.

Devon Jasiukonis, a junior from the Anderson Munger delegation, is applying for the position of 79th Youth Governor. Throughout his campaign, he has consistently emphasized five values: empathy, responsibility, respect, honesty, and transparency. Empathy is a central part of his leadership and who he is as a person; Devon wants to understand others and create a safe space for all delegates. Through responsibility, he wants to ensure that whatever he promises to accomplish if elected will be carried out. While he did not elaborate as much on respect, honesty, and transparency during the interview, these values remain part of the foundation he hopes to lead with, emphasizing fairness, open communication, and trust within the program.

When asked about specific, concrete goals, Devon’s main goal is ensuring connection; strengthening the bonds and creating new routes to unite the Youth and Government family, especially outside of conferences. To achieve this goal, he would establish interdependence within conferences between different program areas. He also wants to strengthen relationships between leadership and delegates, as he feels there is a significant gap between delegates and communicating with their Youth Governor candidates, and he hopes to bridge that gap, creating a more unified program.

In his past, he served as Vice President of his delegation, where he brought a significant number of changes to the way delegates learn about and simulate government, ensuring greater engagement. On a larger level, he is part of the LAC Youth Council through his community, addressing various issues in Los Angeles and working toward solutions. In school, he is involved in student government and served as president of that program for two years. Devon can turn ideas into action and create meaningful change, which will help him achieve his goal of strengthening connections and improving engagement as Youth Governor.

To accomplish his goals, Devon has already begun working closely with his delegates and advisors, creating an action plan for each specific objective. He emphasizes including delegates in the implementation process to gather diverse perspectives, noting that there are often many ways to carry out initiatives and that delegate feedback is rarely heard in Youth Government. To address this, he plans to hold multiple Zoom sessions for delegates, making sure to advertise them widely so he can gather input and improve the program based on their preferences.

Devon is committed to advocating for every delegate, believing that each person can play a role in shaping the future of the program. For him, connection has always been the heart of Youth Government: meeting new people, forming friendships, and supporting one another are what make this program truly special. He values the opportunity to push boundaries, get involved, and create an environment where every delegate feels empowered to contribute and make a difference.

Under all the slogans and campaign promises, Devon is the kind of person who genuinely goes with the flow and meets people where they are. He is approachable, supportive, and always someone you can turn to for help. Helping others is at the core of who he is; whether in school, work, or within this program, he consistently puts others first. Devon’s dedication, kindness, and reliability make him someone you can truly depend on, and his leadership is rooted in lifting others up while fostering a community where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.