The following student report was submitted by Ambassador League Agent Jack H. during the 2008-2009 League.
Mission: Tactics - SSI Experience Report
I arrived reluctantly at the Teen Works building on Friday morning. Many of my friends have attended the Student Statesmanship Institute programs.
I, however, had somehow managed to avoid them for two summers, though I had several close call with the onsite program. Now, unfortunately, I wish
I had attended them sooner. The entire onsite program was upbeat, fun, and educational.
My caucus was assigned our bills, and although we were a little unsure of where to start, we began to inspect them from as many angles as we
could, looking for faults and strengths. I hate to admit it, but before I knew it, I was enjoying myself. Even though Friday was a great
experience by itself, it was almost like a warm-up for Saturday. The business and intensity of Saturday was a step up from Friday. Mr. Muffet
and the staff did an excellent job of simulating the importance of the actual legislative system.
The committee meeting on Saturday morning was
intense. The lobbyists from both sides of each bill presented their bills, and both caucuses began plotting in their heads on how to attack and
defend our assigned bills. The first Saturday caucus meeting was far more frantic than any previous meetings had been. We discussed what we had
learned the night before from doing research and from the committee meeting earlier that morning, and began brainstorming about our speaking
strategies and most
important arguments. We were cut short, but made significant progress.
After a short teaching segment and lunch, we returned to our rooms and
began writing our speeches. The small room was silent almost the entire caucus meeting. From the end of that meeting until session began,
everything was moving at full speed. We were polishing up speeches, discussing bills with other caucuses and frantically preparing for our
legislative debut. Although it was stressful, time flew by, and soon we were filing into the auditorium looking semi-professional. The speaker
took up his gavel, and session was under way. The following hours were filled with passionate speeches.
SSI didn't approach learning about government in the way I had anticipated, by teaching us facts and data, but offered a much more interactive
experience. The teaching sessions were interesting, and brief. Also, the responsibility of success or failure was left primarily up to the
student. The time spent in the SSI onsite program was well worth it, and I look forward to attending the week long program this summer.
