If the performance of Wilton High School student Model Congress members at the recent Columbia Model Congress (CMC) is any indication, Americans of the future stand a great chance for quality representation in the next generation of Senators and Congressional Representatives. The Wilton students showed an exemplary ability to solve pressing issues and a promise of leadership at a rigorous regional conference.
CMC is an annual conference that provides elite high school students the opportunity to simulate Congress’s legislative process. In order to participate in the 2015 CMC, the 17 WHS Model Congress students rose at the crack of dawn on Saturday, March 7, and made the trip to New York City’s Columbia University. There they met with approximately 200 other students from both public and private schools in the northeast to debate and refine legislation that dealt with issues as diverse as extremism in the Middle East, physician-assisted death, immigration control and hormone regulations used in agriculture.
The WHS students prepared extensively for this conference. The club meets weekly throughout the school year to debate student-written bills and improve upon the students’ public speaking, critical thinking, problem-solving and collaboration skills. Their commitment and dedication earned them great success–six of the Wilton students received awards for their outstanding legislative and debate skills.
The following students were recognized for their individual achievements:
Alika Zangieva: Best Delegate, Foreign Relations Committee
Irish Harvey: Best Delegate, Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
Nicholas Johnson: Best Delegate, U.S. House of Representatives
Otto Stenzler: Honorable Mention, Third Constitutional Convention Committee
Jessica Kobsa: Honorable Mention, Ethics Committee
Randy Ramirez: Honorable Mention, Judiciary Committee