O’Fallon teen named Chief Justice of YMCA’s Youth Government
Even Spencer Peck was surprised by his victory.
Last weekend, the O’Fallon Township High School (OTHS) senior was elected as the new chief justice at Illinois’ YMCA Youth and Government conference in Springfield in a landslide.
Winning by 31 votes against his opponent, Peck became the first Chief Justice from Southern Illinois in 13 years, and pushed the Gateway YMCA delegation to its first-ever win.
“It feels pretty awesome,” said Peck, who plans to attend Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville this fall.
“A lot of people tend to vote for people who are in their region,” he said. “So, I was surprised some kid from down south and who just started their first student attorney program was able to win over the entire state.”
Spencer, the son of Anthony and Nancy Peck, aspires one day to be a U.S. Air Force flight nurse.
But in the end, Peck now hasn’t ruled out the possibility that he might pursue a degree in health law after he finishes his nursing degree.
“It’s an option,” he said.
Peck, who used to work at the YMCA, found out about the Youth and Government program from his former boss, who took him to Springfield a couple years ago just to see if he wanted to get involved in the YMCA Youth and Government program.
“At the time, I didn’t want to go,” he said. “I said ‘I didn’t care about politics.’”
But Peck ended up going, and enjoyed watching the students debate bills at the Illinois YMCA Youth and Government assembly.
After he returned to O’Fallon, Peck signed up for the program, and got a few of his friends to join, too.
Peck is now trying to get younger sister, Taylor Peck, a freshman at OTHS’ Milburn Schoool campus involved with the Illinois Youth Government Program
He believes he succeeded in becoming a judge because he made sure all 765 participant voters voices were heard during the judicial review process.
The new chief justice also is involved with the OTHS’s ROTC and is the flight commander for his senior class.
Always eager to volunteer, Peck was earlier placed in charge of the ROTC’s Polar Plunge, which helped raise money for the Special Olympic athletes.
Suzanne Whitehead, who is the local Gateway YMCA Delegation volunteer adviser and has been a long-time volunteer with the program at the Illinois state level, said Peck is “super smart and sweet.”
“He’s incredibly professional,” Whitehead added.
“He’s very serious about his work with the group of about 15 students from different schools like, Governor French Academy, OTHS, Belleville West High School and a home-schooled teen. It’s a bizarre mix, but they work great together and all bring something unique to the team,” Whitehead said.
Whitehead hopes Peck’s victory will help attract more youths to join the YMCA’s young attorney program run out of the Belleville YMCA.
“I think Spencer’s victory last weekend as being voted in Chief Justice may help bring some attention to the necessity this program has with our youth today,” she said.
“I’m so proud of Spencer. He’s a stand up kid and also does ROTC and leads the his squadron, too. He always goes above and beyond what is asked of him.”
O’Fallonite Chris Kirk used to participate in the program when he and his wife were in high school. Now the father of three children, Kirk hopes that in a few years his kids can follow his footsteps , as well as Peck’s and participate in the young attorney’s program.
“Long story short, in only their second year participating, O’Fallon has a new Chief Justice, Spencer Peck,” Kirk said.
Meet Spencer Peck
Q: What words you have words to live by?
A: Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs just told me over the weekend sometimes you win; sometimes you learn. There are no losers. This tells me it’s okay to take risks in life.
Q:Whom do you most admire?
A: My parents. Without my parents constant support and wisdom, I don’t know if I could have won my campaign.
Q: What is the last book that you read?
A: The last good book I read was The Founding Fathers Guide to the Constitution.”
Q:What do you do for fun and relaxation?
A: I love to play guitar when I’m bored or need to relax.
Q: What is the usual state of your desktop?
A: Although I may know where everything is at, everyone else looks my desk says it’s an awful mess.
Q: What do you think is your most outstanding characteristic?
A: I’m remarkably stubborn. If I’m working on something, I won’t put it down until I believe the finished product is perfect.
Q:What type of music do you listen to?
A: I listen to a lot of music. Right now, I’ve been listening to a lot of Van Halen.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: The people that I work with are great. You know you work with the right people if time flies by at work.
Q: When they make a movie of your life, who would play you?
A: Nicholas Cage would have to play me. He plays a role in every other movie, anyway.
Reporter Robyn L. Kirsch contributed to this report.
This story was originally published March 25, 2016 at 9:51 AM with the headline "O’Fallon teen named Chief Justice of YMCA’s Youth Government."