The following student report was submitted by Ambassador League Agent Philip H. during the 2009-2010 League.
Mission: Tactics - SSI Experience
In the weeks leading up to my summer vacation many people inquired about what I had planned for the upcoming break. My answer was typically the same: I really didn't have much planned other than attending the Student Statesmanship Institute – a summer camp where you primarily learn about the government and how it works. In times like these the idea of teens going to a camp to learn about government and the lives of politicians struck some people as odd. On occasion, some commented to me that I had better not pass any cap and trade bills or another bailout. But with these remarks was an opportunity to tell people about what an informative, challenging, and fun experience that SSI truly is. During my time spent at SSI I learned more about the legislative process, gained a greater understanding of various worldviews – all while having fun.
Finally, after weeks of anticipation, SSI kicked off the year with its first week of camp. After being "sworn in" as a mock senator I was teamed up with five other teens and assigned two pieces of legislation. My caucus, Liberty Red, was given a bill to pass through senate and a bill that we needed to be prevent from being passed. The bill that we promoted proposed a resolution that would allow unmarried couples the right to adopt children, while the bill we opposed tried to lower the mandatory attendance age of kindergarteners from six to five. Although I had a basic understanding of the legislative system before coming to SSI, I knew little about the procedures for amending a bill and how drastically a piece of legislation could actually change from the first time it is read in committee to the final version read on the senate floor. Experiencing the role of senator firsthand, however, helped to change that. After proposing and voting on several amendments to our assigned bills I had a greater understanding of the amendment process and the differences between a senator and a representative.
In addition to the typical caucus meetings there were also different worldviews sessions. These worldview sessions feature guest speakers or SSI staff who lecture on a variety of topics. One of these sessions was a series of lessons by Mr. Mailand which gave an overview of several religions. During these few hours listening to Mr. Mailand I learned more about the soteriology, axiology, and theology of religions such as Marxism, Islam, New Ageism, Humanism, and Christianity. In other sessions students were taught about why science cannot prove the theory of evolution and how the erroneous evolutionary interpretations of certain data can lead to incorrect claims. Thanks to engaging speakers and the content of the lectures, I learned many new things.
Both of the times I have gone to SSI have been amazing experiences where I have met new friends, learned, and had fun. All in all, the time spent at SSI was very challenging but rewarding. I am always trying to convince more people attend as I look forward to another year at SSI.
