Middle School Students Compete in Model Congress Program

Congratulations also to the members of the LREI Model Congress Delegation. The delegates for the Model Congress this year were fifth graders Marcelo, Odelia, Lola, Danielle, Michelle and Simmon and seventh grader Diana. The group has been working with faculty facilitator Sharyn Hahn since the end of January to write bills, prepare speeches, read other students’ bills from the other schools that participate, and learn about and practice parliamentary procedure. The team spent the entire day at Packer Collegiate High School on Saturday, April 26th for the annual culminating event.

Nearly 200 middle school students from 13 area independent schools, including LREI, sent delegations of model legislators to the event. When students arrive at the event, they break off into one of 17 separate committees based upon the content of their bill. These committees are meant to resemble actual congressional committees and include Judiciary, Education, Health, Housing & Urban Affairs, and Science Space & Technology. After a morning committee session filled with heated debate and criticism, the bills that pass committee are reviewed in one of four full sessions. (House I, House II, Senate I, and Senate II).

As Sharyn notes:

Our delegates had a great time and learned a lot; they all are looking forward to next year! This year, all of our bills all had to do with the environment and sustainability. Diana’s and Lola’s and Danielle’s bills passed and were debated in the full sessions. The others had a tough fight in their committees! In the plenary session in the afternoon several of the fifth graders spoke out on various topics. I was impressed by their thoughtfulness and their courage to speak out in these large groups sessions.