HSLP 2009: Day 13, July 23

High School Leaders Program Class of 2009
Day 13— Thursday, July 23
Reported by: Corrigan Blanchfield, Williamsburg
 
     Today we said goodbye to our beloved second-story classroom in Thornton Hall. Though two weeks of little-to-no sleep may have had an effect on some, this concluding class was one of our most involved and exciting, allowing us to forget how much we would like to be in bed.
     In class, we split into groups and analyzed accounts of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)'s transformation into the No Child Left Behind Act. After that, we discussed under which circumstances  the federal government should intervene to keep a business from failing, using bailouts of Lockheed and Chrysler as examples. After the final section of our “The Thoughtful Citizen” class, we adjourned for lunch and then reconvened for the Budget Game. Similar to a Model United Nations conference, we split into two groups, the House of Delegates and the Senate to prepare and balance a state budget, starting with a mandatory deficit of $1 billion. While the House quickly prepared their budget,  the Senate took quite a bit of time, essentially slashing spending across the board to avoid an income tax hike. After each house prepared its own budget, we divided into two conference committees to iron out differences. Finally, we came back together and voted between the two final budget proposals, the first of which was passed.
     We were able to leave Thornton because we had finished the Budget Game quickly, so we hurried to Bice to practice our presentations for our culminating project. At 7:00, we presented our projects to the floor managers and received a lot of helpful feedback. Each of the managers offered great advice, making the groups feel much more prepared for tomorrow's presentations. After that, it was back to work to finalize our projects, since we're presenting them starting at 10:00 AM tomorrow before our classmates, our teachers, and others who have not yet been revealed.
     All that remains for us now is the presentation, which I must admit has me more than a little worried. It's hard to believe that Sorensen is nearing it's end, even though I can hardly remember when I first met my roommates on the 11th. However, I think that what we've learned here and the contacts we've made will last long beyond Saturday's graduation.
 
—Corrigan Blanchfield, Williamsburg