Secondary Student Conference
The purpose of the Conference is to give students an opportunity to discuss issues and bills relating to Education as determined by the Hawaii State Legislature. There is a Middle School level and a High School level track. The High School track has two main components of the problem-solving process: the Committee sessions and the Debate sessions. During the Committee sessions, the delegates’ discussion is focused on reviewing the bills relating to their committee that are being introduced by the 2020 Hawaii State Legislature, decide on the top 3-5 bills to present before the SSC delegates, and then research and create compelling cases to convince delegates as to why their bills should be considered priority for the Hawaii State Student Council to follow-up on throughout the legislative session.
During the Debate session, all delegates debate and vote on the bills that they find most relevant and pressing to be addressed, keeping in mind the students and districts they represent. The results of the voting during the Debate session will indicate the degree of support for the bills.
Upon the conclusion of the debate, delegates will be asked to write testimony (based upon the bills deemed to be top priority) and to submit them to the HSSC. This testimony will be given to legislators and presented when the bills are actually scheduled for hearings during the current Legislative session.
The Middle School track will have our 7th and 8th grade delegates learning about the functions of City and State government. Delegates will also analyze what they like about their schools and communities and learn how to address or suggest changes they’d like to see implemented in those areas. The experience will culminate in a presentation by the Middle School delegates to the Conference attendees as well as written letters to their respective legislators.
During the Debate session, all delegates debate and vote on the bills that they find most relevant and pressing to be addressed, keeping in mind the students and districts they represent. The results of the voting during the Debate session will indicate the degree of support for the bills.
Upon the conclusion of the debate, delegates will be asked to write testimony (based upon the bills deemed to be top priority) and to submit them to the HSSC. This testimony will be given to legislators and presented when the bills are actually scheduled for hearings during the current Legislative session.
The Middle School track will have our 7th and 8th grade delegates learning about the functions of City and State government. Delegates will also analyze what they like about their schools and communities and learn how to address or suggest changes they’d like to see implemented in those areas. The experience will culminate in a presentation by the Middle School delegates to the Conference attendees as well as written letters to their respective legislators.
Committee Sessions - High School
- Delegates are divided into one of three focus group committees: Student Achievement, School Environment, and Co-Curricular Concerns. HSSC Committee Chairs and Secretaries serve as facilitators, recorders, and direct the sessions.
- Day 1 will be focused on getting to know members of the Committees and receiving their group’s bill package. The Committee is free to determine how they would like to break-up the research and investigation of their bills.
- Day 2 will be directed towards research that will culminate in the selecting of three to five maximum bills for debate and voting in the Debate Session on Day 3. This includes planning strategies for debate, research, and electing a panel of speakers (one per bill). It is recommended that each of the panel members be an “expert” on one of the bills being presented before the SSC delegates.
- Day 3 will culminate with the debate and the drafting of testimony following the debate. The panel will have a chance to present the group’s resolutions and research before debate and during closing statements at the end of the debate. The panel will also answer delegates’ questions during the debate. The notes taken by the HSSC and Focus Group Secretaries will be shared with the delegates so that they may aid in the writing of testimony.
Debate Sessions
During Debate Sessions #1-3, delegates will debate the pros and cons of the bills for each focus group. Delegates should take notes on all bills discussed, especially those from their own Committee. Delegates will debate three to five bills under each focus group and vote to show support for each bill.
The Conference and Hawaii State Legislature
Throughout your time at the Conference, you will be partaking in activities and exercises that parallel many of the functions and processes that occur during the Legislature’s 60 working days.
As a delegate, you will be working with students from other schools across the State in a collaborative effort to decide on bills that you think will best benefit the students of Hawaii. You will need to research a variety of bills and make some informed decisions through a screening process with your focus group (similar to a committee hearing). You’ll need to gather insight from legislators and other professionals (seek testimony for support). Your focus group will need to meet deadlines (like decking bills to advance). These are just a few of the parallels you will see.
After the conclusion of the conference, we hope that you will track your bills on the Hawaii State Capitol website and actively engage in other bills that may interest you.
As a delegate, you will be working with students from other schools across the State in a collaborative effort to decide on bills that you think will best benefit the students of Hawaii. You will need to research a variety of bills and make some informed decisions through a screening process with your focus group (similar to a committee hearing). You’ll need to gather insight from legislators and other professionals (seek testimony for support). Your focus group will need to meet deadlines (like decking bills to advance). These are just a few of the parallels you will see.
After the conclusion of the conference, we hope that you will track your bills on the Hawaii State Capitol website and actively engage in other bills that may interest you.
Middle School Track
- Middle School delegates will be learning the functions of the legislature and various levels of government. Through the experience, Middle School delegates will analyze something they would like to see changed in their school or community as a school delegation. The experience will culminate in a presentation to Conference attendees as well as a summary sent to the school delegation’s respective legislators.
- Day 1 will be focused on learning the functions of the legislature. Delegates will then analyze the things they like about their schools and communities as well as the things they would like to see changed/improved upon. This process is modeled after the National Association of Student Councils Raising Student Voice and Participation program.
- Day 2 will allow the Middle School delegates to navigate through the Capitol and learn about the various functions and levels of government. By the end of Day 2 Middle School delegates should begin refining their presentations, which will be based on what they would like to see changed or improved in their school or community, who the proper stakeholders are to address this, and a possible solution(s).
- Day 3 will culminate in a five minute presentation of the findings of each middle school delegation followed by a brief question-and-answer session. Middle School delegates will practice public speaking and presentation skills through this presentation. They will also prepare a summary to be presented to the stakeholder they identified through their findings.