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Harvard
Model Congress
Once more in yearly tradition, 20 Mount Michael
students ventured forth in search of government. In San Francisco they found
it in the form of the Harvard Model Congress (HMC). Here almost 400 students
participated in a highly realistic simulation of everyday government workings,
including the Supreme Court, Senate, House of Representatives, National Security
Council (NSC) and the Press Corps. Students from Mount Michael participated in
all of these branches at this Model Congress.
 Each
department has its own agenda, for example the House Judiciary
committee discussed the problems of generic drugs, racial
profiling, and government surveillance, while the NSC
discussed the pos sibility
and likely consequences of a terrorist attack on Florida.
Within each department this discussion was carried out
several different ways. For example in the House a committee
would debate the bill and approve it then pass it along
to the full seating of the House, then it went to the
Senate, and if it passed there it had to be approved by
the Presidents.
 In
between grueling sessions in congress Mount Michael students
had time to explore the city. With both Chinatown and
Fisherman’s Wharf conveniently located within walking
distance from the hotel, plenty of sights and good eating-places
were available to the students. On top of that the good
weather prevailed throughout the trip making walking not
only possible but also pleasurable.
In addition to the wonderful attractions surrounding the
hotel the students also visited Alcatraz on Friday. Spending
almost 2 hours at “the Rock”. Students got
to see both the cells of famous criminals but also the
place where several escape attempts were made, and where
some American Indians took over in the 70’s to protest
unfair treatment by the government. As well as one of
the best views of the bay you can get. 
Unfortunately all good things must come to an end
and on January 30th the students had to brave the 8-hour journey back to Omaha.
But in Denver the students got
stuck while waiting for a pilot and didn’t get in to Omaha until 2:00 AM
the next morning. Prompting Mr. Buschellman to allow for the students to come
in to school late the next day.
~Article and photos by Tim Agnew |
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