Model Congress
Encyclopedia
Model Congress gives students a chance to engage in a role-playing
simulation
of the United States
Congress
. Such events are hosted by the Congress itself, Rutgers University
, American International College, Columbia University
, Princeton University
, the University of Pennsylvania
, Yale
, The College of William and Mary
and Harvard
.
These simulations range in complexity from the government-sponsored Model United States House of Representatives
, hosted on Capitol Hill and featuring six Congressional committees
to Harvard's simulation featuring both the House and Senate
, various committees therein, the Supreme Court
, and offshoots in San Francisco, Europe and Asia. North Carolina has a program similar to Model Congress called North Carolina Youth Legislative Assembly, and Arkansas has one called the Arkansas Student Congress on Human Relations. The mock assembly models the North Carolina General Assembly
and Arkansas General Assembly
but also uses parliamentary procedure
and Robert's Rules of Order
.
Awards are available for outstanding delegates, both in committee and in full session. Often, debaters call winning the highest award in a committee or full session "gaveling", and some exceptionally skilled debaters may "double gavel", or win the top award in both committee and full sessions.
American International College's Model Congress Program is the longest-running program of its kind in the United States.
The University of Pennsylvania
hosted the first ever intercollegiate Model Congress conference on November 6-7, 2010. Yale University
soon followed with a conference on April 23, 2011. The circuit is gradually expanding. World Youth Model Congress, organized by college and high school students from South Korea, is the first of its kind to be held in North-East Asia.
in Riverdale, New York will hold its first annual conference for one day in the fall. Its next conference is on November 12, 2011.
Certain High schools in New York, specifically the Nassau and Westchester county area, participate in a competitive debate league known as United Model Congress (UMC). These schools get together 8 times during the school year and debate over various pieces of mock legislation just as an actual legislative body would. The schools involved (also known as delegations) are
Wantagh and Seaford are considered one delegation known as Tri-District, or "Tri-D" for short.
Choate Rosemary Hall
in Wallingford, Connecticut will commence its 38th Model Congress on Monday, October 10.
Role-playing
Role-playing refers to the changing of one's behaviour to assume a role, either unconsciously to fill a social role, or consciously to act out an adopted role...
simulation
Simulation
Simulation is the imitation of some real thing available, state of affairs, or process. The act of simulating something generally entails representing certain key characteristics or behaviours of a selected physical or abstract system....
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
. Such events are hosted by the Congress itself, Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
, American International College, Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, Yale
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, The College of William and Mary
College of William and Mary
The College of William & Mary in Virginia is a public research university located in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States...
and Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
These simulations range in complexity from the government-sponsored Model United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, hosted on Capitol Hill and featuring six Congressional committees
United States Congressional committee
A congressional committee is a legislative sub-organization in the United States Congress that handles a specific duty . Committee membership enables members to develop specialized knowledge of the matters under their jurisdiction...
to Harvard's simulation featuring both the House and Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, various committees therein, the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
, and offshoots in San Francisco, Europe and Asia. North Carolina has a program similar to Model Congress called North Carolina Youth Legislative Assembly, and Arkansas has one called the Arkansas Student Congress on Human Relations. The mock assembly models the North Carolina General Assembly
North Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...
and Arkansas General Assembly
Arkansas General Assembly
The Arkansas General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The legislature is a bicameral body composed of the upper house Arkansas Senate with 35 members, and the lower Arkansas House of Representatives with 100 members. All 135 representatives and state senators...
but also uses parliamentary procedure
Parliamentary procedure
Parliamentary procedure is the body of rules, ethics, and customs governing meetings and other operations of clubs, organizations, legislative bodies, and other deliberative assemblies...
and Robert's Rules of Order
Robert's Rules of Order
Robert's Rules of Order is the short title of a book containing rules of order intended to be adopted as a parliamentary authority for use by a deliberative assembly written by Brig. Gen...
.
Awards are available for outstanding delegates, both in committee and in full session. Often, debaters call winning the highest award in a committee or full session "gaveling", and some exceptionally skilled debaters may "double gavel", or win the top award in both committee and full sessions.
American International College's Model Congress Program is the longest-running program of its kind in the United States.
The University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
hosted the first ever intercollegiate Model Congress conference on November 6-7, 2010. Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
soon followed with a conference on April 23, 2011. The circuit is gradually expanding. World Youth Model Congress, organized by college and high school students from South Korea, is the first of its kind to be held in North-East Asia.
High schools
The Horace Mann SchoolHorace Mann School
Horace Mann School is an independent college preparatory school in New York City, New York, United States founded in 1887 known for its rigorous course of studies. Horace Mann is a member of the Ivy Preparatory School League, educating students from all across the New York tri-state area from...
in Riverdale, New York will hold its first annual conference for one day in the fall. Its next conference is on November 12, 2011.
Certain High schools in New York, specifically the Nassau and Westchester county area, participate in a competitive debate league known as United Model Congress (UMC). These schools get together 8 times during the school year and debate over various pieces of mock legislation just as an actual legislative body would. The schools involved (also known as delegations) are
- East Meadow High SchoolEast Meadow High SchoolEast Meadow High School is a high school in the East Meadow school district. East Meadow High School was founded in 1953, as part of what is currently the third largest school district in New York State. There are approximately 1,650 students in grades 9-12...
- Lawrence High SchoolLawrence High School (New York)Lawrence High School is a four-year public high school located in Cedarhurst on Long Island in New York, United States. It is a part of the Lawrence Public Schools, and is the district's only public high school.- Details :...
- Long Beach High School
- Oceanside High SchoolOceanside School DistrictOceanside School District is a school district in Oceanside, New York. There are 854 full-time employees, of which 440 are teachers.-Schools:* Florence A. Smith Elementary School* Oaks Elementary School* South Oceanside Road Elementary School...
- Herricks High SchoolHerricks High SchoolHerricks High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school with 1450 students, accredited by the New York State Board of Regents and the Middle States Association. The school is located in New Hyde Park, New York, 20 miles east of Manhattan. Dr. Jack Bierwirth, son of an ambassador in the...
- George W. Hewlett High SchoolGeorge W. Hewlett High SchoolGeorge W. Hewlett High School is a four-year public high school in Hewlett, New York, which is a part of the Five Towns area of the South Shore of Long Island. The school is the only high school in the Hewlett-Woodmere School District . On March 13, 2008, Asst. Principal Thomas Russo was named...
- Seaford High SchoolSeaford High School (New York)Seaford High School is a public high school located in Seaford, New York, USA serving students in the ninth through twelfth grades.- General :Seaford High School, built in 1956, serves as a top institution and has been recognized for its Excellence in Faculty and Staff Success and Student Relations...
- New Rochelle High SchoolNew Rochelle High SchoolNew Rochelle High School is a public high school, comprising grades 9 through 12, in New Rochelle, New York, operated by the City School District of New Rochelle. NRHS serves over 3,300 students; offering more than 240 courses, including honors, research and advanced placement courses.NRHS...
- Wantagh High School
Wantagh and Seaford are considered one delegation known as Tri-District, or "Tri-D" for short.
Choate Rosemary Hall
Choate Rosemary Hall
Choate Rosemary Hall is a private, college-preparatory, coeducational boarding school located in Wallingford, Connecticut...
in Wallingford, Connecticut will commence its 38th Model Congress on Monday, October 10.
See also
- Model United NationsModel United NationsModel United Nations is an academic simulation of the United Nations that aims to educate participants about current events, topics in international relations, diplomacy and the United Nations agenda....
- Harvard Model CongressHarvard Model CongressHarvard Model Congress is the largest congressional simulation conference in the world, providing high school students from across the U.S. and abroad with an opportunity to experience American government firsthand...
- Yale Model CongressYale Model CongressYale Model Congress is the second oldest entirely-student run Model Congress conference for high school students...
- YMCA Youth and GovernmentYMCA Youth and GovernmentYMCA Youth and Government, or Y&G is a YMCA civic engagement and service-learning program in the United States that offers high school students the opportunity to serve in a model government process at the local, state, national, and international levels...