Model Congress Makes It Real

After three months of collaboration and preparation, the Wilton Model Congress, an after-school club at Wilton High School, and the Wilton branch of the League of Women Voters successfully executed and participated in a debate between congressional candidates Dan Debicella and Congressman Jim Himes. The debate was held at the Wilton High School’s Clune Center for the Arts on Sunday, October 19th and provided an opportunity for members of the communities of Wilton and surrounding towns to ask their own questions about topics that will influence their vote on November 4th on their representative to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Immediately prior to the debate, Wilton Model Congress Vice President, Emily Fanwick, a senior, and Secretary, Jessica Kobsa, a junior, managed a table in the Clune Center’s Zellner Gallery to raise awareness among the Wilton community of the club’s cause and to conduct straw polls for the upcoming congressional election (between Jim Himes and Dan Debicella). Out of 26 voters who participated in this unscientific straw poll, 23 voted for Himes. Especially interested in the club was Phil Sharlach, a Wilton resident and candidate running for State Senate who spoke to the club members about the little-known details of the political campaigning process. Jessica has reflected, “Speaking with a local politician and listening to the two congressional candidates debate pressing policy issues was such an eye-opening experience to how involved young people really can be in the political process. It seems that many young people do not realize that politics are not too fast-paced or complicated for them to get involved.”

Wilton Model Congress Whip, Randy Ramirez, helped staff a table as part of one of the candidates’ campaigns; he had been working for that campaign during the summer. Several days before the debate, club member and senior George Mgaloblishvili submitted questions for the candidates to the League of Women Voters which he had collected from a number of Wilton High School students interested in politics. He stated, “I believe it is important to get the young generation actively engaged in the political process, and this debate gave students the opportunity to do that. Many of these students will be of voting age within the coming year, so the addition of their questions to the congressional debate added a new dimension which otherwise would not have been present.”

While the candidates debated, Wilton Model Congress president, Alika Zangieva, a senior at Wilton High School, worked with two League of Women Voters members as the unaffiliated member of the question-screening committee. The screening committee consisted of a Republican, a Democrat, and an unaffiliated member to adjust questions submitted by the public to make them appropriate and applicable to both candidates. Concerning this experience, Alika has reflected, “Being a part of the screening process was really privilege. It allowed me to become an active member of the entire debate. At the Wilton Model Congress we always strive to promote political engagement from future voters and this experience was a great step to that goal… Both Kathy Burgweger and Cheryl Dunson (of the League of Women Voters) were extremely helpful and inclusive throughout the process.”

Club member Tara Hashemi, a junior, acted as a timer for the candidates’ speaking times. She has reflected, “The experience of being able to time the debate was very memorable and educational. Not only did I learn about a debate’s intricacies, but tt was one of the first political events in my community that I actually felt apart of and was engaged in.”

In the audience were club members Lyza Serra, a sophomore, and Ravi Siripuram, also a sophomore.

The candidates discussed, in a moderated debate format, both questions posed by audience members that day and questions submitted beforehand. Debated topics ranged from environmental concerns, such as climate change and energy efficiency, to gun safety measures, also touching on gender inequality in the workforce and raising minimum wage.

Wilton Model Congress allows Wilton High School students to simulate the United States Congress. Students write and debate legislation during weekly meetings chaired by a club member. Students can join the club at any time. The Wilton Model Congress meets on Thursdays for an hour after school under the advising of Mr. Ken Dunaj. Selected club members have the opportunity to participated in collegiate model congress conferences each year. Past trips have been to Yale Model Congress, Harvard Model Congress, and Columbia Model Congress.

For more information about Wilton Model Congress, contact Alika Zangieva a alika.zangieva@gmail.com. For more information about the Wilton branch of the League of Women Voters, contact wiltonlwv@gmail.com.

Photo credit to Leyla Zangieva.