Click below to hear more about the program.
Students are chosen largely based upon experience with leadership whether it's through sports as a team captain, through outstanding scholarship in school studies, or through extra curriculars like Model UN, Debate Team among others.
The students are broken divided into 16 cities, with two cities per county for a total of 8 counties. Each city & county is provided with a mock story that gives the students the history and current issues facing them. They then proceed to choose their type of municipal government and begin work on their "City Manual" and "County Manual" which is how they explain their plans to resolve the issues presented to them in the descriptions.
As the week progresses the students will then continue to re-create a mock government that mirrors that of New Jersey. Once they reach the State level the issues are no longer what was presented in the packets but it moves into discussions of the real issues facing New Jersey. Senators are elected that continue on to Boys Nation (Bill Clinton actually attended this program) and eventually a Governor is elected.
Most of my friends don't understand why this program is so important to me. It's hard to explain how much this program taught me about working with individuals that are very much used to being Alpha's. The confidence it gave me in assessing my own accomplishments and strengths against others and the ability to present them to others. The whole experience was great for me and really helped me grow, and I want to support the program and ensure that it will do the same for other students.
The work is all volunteer based. It takes up at minimum 1 week a year while the session is going on and beyond that I'm on the Technology Committee and Development Committee that both meet (usually via conference call) monthly. While I don't get to devote the sheer number of hours that others do, I continually try to find more time to assist with the program.
I spend the week before session starts unloading the crate that's packed full of donated laptops (formerly desktops) and assess their health. I will make any upgrades or repairs necessary to keep them working as best as they can. Handling donated equipment isn't easy, most laptops need a good bit of repair or re-work to get them back into a good condition. I help with setting up the Linux environment (a free alternative operating system to Microsoft Windows) that will be used during session and spend the day before check-in installing and wiring in the Laptops with the help of two others, one who is our designated Dean of Technology and handles the incredible burden of making sure that everything gets done, and also focuses on improving the services we provide the program.
We do a lot of custom work, our "webmaster" is really much more of a web developer and with the assistance of the Dean of Technology there is a web based Election Reporting System, Computerized Check-in, a mirror of election results on the public webpage for parents to see, on-line registration in beta testing, a staff management system and I'm sure there are numerous other contributions that I've forgotten to list.
I'm getting older now, 24, and much more responsible. I need to step up and really begin to contribute back and assist the Dean of Technology and the others in the same selfless ways that they have been doing for years. That's my primary goal for the upcoming year. Us counselors have quite a few tag lines that we push back and forth. One of them is "Don't drop ball" and is the universal quip for when you have a job that you agreed to do or take on but failed to complete.
Next year I won't be dropping the ball.
As the week progresses the students will then continue to re-create a mock government that mirrors that of New Jersey. Once they reach the State level the issues are no longer what was presented in the packets but it moves into discussions of the real issues facing New Jersey. Senators are elected that continue on to Boys Nation (Bill Clinton actually attended this program) and eventually a Governor is elected.
Most of my friends don't understand why this program is so important to me. It's hard to explain how much this program taught me about working with individuals that are very much used to being Alpha's. The confidence it gave me in assessing my own accomplishments and strengths against others and the ability to present them to others. The whole experience was great for me and really helped me grow, and I want to support the program and ensure that it will do the same for other students.
The work is all volunteer based. It takes up at minimum 1 week a year while the session is going on and beyond that I'm on the Technology Committee and Development Committee that both meet (usually via conference call) monthly. While I don't get to devote the sheer number of hours that others do, I continually try to find more time to assist with the program.
I spend the week before session starts unloading the crate that's packed full of donated laptops (formerly desktops) and assess their health. I will make any upgrades or repairs necessary to keep them working as best as they can. Handling donated equipment isn't easy, most laptops need a good bit of repair or re-work to get them back into a good condition. I help with setting up the Linux environment (a free alternative operating system to Microsoft Windows) that will be used during session and spend the day before check-in installing and wiring in the Laptops with the help of two others, one who is our designated Dean of Technology and handles the incredible burden of making sure that everything gets done, and also focuses on improving the services we provide the program.
We do a lot of custom work, our "webmaster" is really much more of a web developer and with the assistance of the Dean of Technology there is a web based Election Reporting System, Computerized Check-in, a mirror of election results on the public webpage for parents to see, on-line registration in beta testing, a staff management system and I'm sure there are numerous other contributions that I've forgotten to list.
I'm getting older now, 24, and much more responsible. I need to step up and really begin to contribute back and assist the Dean of Technology and the others in the same selfless ways that they have been doing for years. That's my primary goal for the upcoming year. Us counselors have quite a few tag lines that we push back and forth. One of them is "Don't drop ball" and is the universal quip for when you have a job that you agreed to do or take on but failed to complete.
Next year I won't be dropping the ball.
Wow. This program sounds brilliant, Bryce. To me it is not only about building self and self confidence and expressing ideas, but also working as part of a collaborative effort. Programs like this are sorely needed throughout communities as another avenue of building future leaders who can also work as part of a team. Communicating effectively within a team environment, expressing ones own ideas and accepting constructive criticism and being able to take on board suggestions and integrate them into an action plan. You are right these concepts are not just about the real time of the program duration, but are real life skills as well. For some these concepts are intrinsic, but for many those skills and ideas can be learnt through programs such as this.
ReplyDeleteIt is within programs like these, that effective future leaders flourish and communities will only benefit from their existence.
It takes a village to raise a child.
Excellent post, Bryce.
I admire your dedication to this program, regardless of how much I tease you about it. Your passion really shows through in this post.
ReplyDelete(and I got a nice nap while you were at that meeting last night)
Daff, your heartfelt comments always leave me smiling. Thanks!
ReplyDelete