Model Congress gives students opportunity to put government lessons into action - 4/23/07

Public speaking and presentation all count at this year’s Model Congress

Anyone watching the eighth annual Model Congress recently might well have been impressed. After all, someday many of the Model Congress participants might be running the country.

If so, the nation will be in good hands. With a gravitas that belied their years, the 120 ninth graders from across Baltimore County who participated in this year’s Model Congress introduced legislation, debated the merits of proposed laws, lobbied for their causes, and voted for bills before the body – just like their Washington counterparts. 

The group gathered March 2 at the Community College of Baltimore County - Catonsville for the annual event, which was organized by Loch Raven High School students this year and open to Gifted and Talented ninth graders from across the county.

The activity is just one of the many leadership opportunities available to Baltimore County Public Schools students. In addition to Model Congress, BCPS students also participate in Student Council activities on a school, county, statewide, and nationwide basis. More than 100 BCPS students also each year enjoy and learn from the Model United Nations, which recreates the work of the U.N. in a small-scale venue for school students.

Meeting in committees is part of the Model Congress experience.

To prepare for the daylong Model Congress activity, Loch Raven students applied for and attended the Princeton Model Congress in Washington, D.C., where they learned more about how the U.S. Congress functions, parliamentary procedure, and how to organize their own Model Congress for area students.

Throughout the March 2 Baltimore County event, students brought bills to the floor of their Model Congress and worked in committees to debate, refine, and vote on the bills. Committees included those on Energy and Environment, Foreign Relations, Judiciary, Public Works and Urban Affairs, Science, Commerce, and Technology, Education and Human Resources, and National Security. Committees then brought bills to the floor of the full assembly for action.

Former Sen. Paul Sarbanes was the keynote speaker and addressed the Model Congress participants.

This year, the Model Congress revived its Presidential Cabinet Program, through which current tenth graders who participated in the Model Congress last year were able to return to serve in one of 12 “cabinet” positions, such as Attorney General or Secretary of State, Defense, the Treasury, Education, Commerce, Health and Human Services, Energy, Labor, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, or Homeland Security. Individuals interested in serving in the Cabinet applied for these positions through a competitive application process.

Students who attended the Model Congress this year also got a taste of the real thing from this year’s keynote speaker, former U.S. Senator Paul Sarbanes. His granddaughter, Stephanie S. of Towson High School, was one of the Model Congress participants this year.

The day’s event ended with the presentation of Gavel Awards, which recognized students for outstanding participation and public speaking.

Story by Charles Herndon, Communications Specialist, Baltimore County Public Schools. Photographs courtesy of The Education Channel – Comcast Channel 73.

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