The following student report was submitted by Ambassador League Agent Jonathan M. during the 2009-2010 League.
Mission: Tactics - SSI Experience
When I told my friends I was going to government camp during the summer and was excited about it, the most common responses were, "What's so great about government camp?" or "Sounds just like school." It was actually my first time to attend SSI; I had heard about it for a couple of years previously, since my grandparents regularly attend the fundraiser banquet. I was looking forward to attending the summer program, especially since several friends were going that same week. Not only was I very excited to actually experience what it is like to be a representative, but also to have that experience in the actual House of Representatives!
After our group arrived at Great Lakes Christian College, we unpacked and headed to the main building on campus. After a fun icebreaker activity, we were divided into red and blue caucuses, assigned our bill, and started researching how we would defend our position. As the week progressed, it was very interesting to see how our caucus became more unified and worked together to build our supporting arguments. I was assigned to oppose House Bill 5133, which involved a ban on cell phone use by drivers 18 and younger. To me, this bill was very easy to oppose since I am strongly against governmental intrusion in our lives. On the other hand, another argument could be made that driving while using a cell phone is a public safety risk. If so, this bill should have targeted all drivers.
I really appreciated the spiritual emphasis during the whole week. No matter what the subject was, the speaker wove his Christian perspective into the message and clearly communicated what he believed. I especially enjoyed Mr. Mailand’s class on "Worldviews in Action." It was very informative to have an in-depth explanation of how a person's worldview would affect his whole outlook on life.
Other activities throughout the week were enjoyable as well. On Tuesday, everybody participated in the sports challenge. I had heard a lot about the bat game and I still am wondering who wasted their time coming up with this pointless activity! I also enjoyed meeting many new people during SSI. Even though week two is one of the bigger weeks, I knew who everybody was by the end. I am still keeping in touch with some fellow SSI-ers and have made some lasting friendships.
On Wednesday, we held a press conference at GLCC then headed to the Capitol building for committee meetings. I really enjoyed being able to question the lobbyists and find the positive and negative sides to each bill. In addition, this was the first time our caucus was able to ask questions directly to our opposing caucus.
The days flew by, and all too soon Friday arrived. We went back to the Capitol and listened to the Senate session during the morning, (picking up some valuable tips), then headed outside for lunch and a picture. Afterward we headed into the House Chamber. It was an incredible experience to sit in the very seats and speak from the very desks of our state lawmakers. The whole session went very well and both of our caucus's bills went the way we wanted.
Overall, I enjoyed SSI more than I ever could have imagined, and am looking forward to next year!
