Assignment/Activity Title CAP Congress Skill Research, public speaking, group work

Year Sophomore Portfolio Category Social Awareness

I learned a lot in CAP Congress. I was a MOCO, which meant that I wasnt an expert on any of the issues. Instead, I researched all of the issues briefly so that I would have a basic understanding of both sides. I listened to the MOCWAS present PowerPoints for their sides on their issues, and then I discussed the issues with the MOCWAS during the lobbying time. I decided to write a bill concerning the war on drugs. I took the stance that we should continue the war on drugs, except that we should legalize marijuana. I wrote in my bill that once we legalized marijuana, the government should regulate it to make sure that it was distributed safely. I was in the committee for the war on drugs and gun control. My committee ended up combining my bill with another bill. Once the bill went back to the full house (I was in the House of Representatives), my fellow congress members voted for it. Unfortunately, the Senate vetoed my bill, so it wasnt made into law. CAP Congress taught me about the process of bills becoming laws as well as how Congress works as a whole. This helped me in NSL. We had a lot of work to do during CAP congress in a short amount of time. Since I was a MOCO, I had to do six pages of research in a two-day span. The research was overwhelming at first, but I soon realized that it was manageable as long as I did some work outside of class. Next, we had to write our bills. This was the hardest part for me because I had to choose the topic that I felt most passionate about. I also had to write a bill that was more centrist so that it would have better chances of being voted upon. When Congress was in session, we had to actively participate. While this was the most important part of the grades we received, it was the easiest for me. I came prepared with good statistics so that I knew exactly what I wanted to say. Finally, we had to write a letter to constituents. This was straightforward as well because I had taken detailed notes throughout the process. CAP Congress had a lot of elements that we needed to keep track of, which in the end taught me time management skills. Another skill that I improved on during CAP Congress was group work. After we wrote our individual bills, we met in committees to choose the best bill and revise it. I was in the committee that dealt with the war on drugs and gun control. My fellow group members were very passionate. We were even moved to a separate room because our discussions got too loud. Because my group members cared so much about their beliefs, it was extremely difficult to come to a consensus on our bills. We eventually were able to come to decisions. This process taught me to get along with people that I disagree with. Additionally, it taught me compromising skills. Most importantly, CAP Congress taught me to pay attention to the world around me. During the week of the interdisciplinary, I read the newspaper more than I ever had before to make sure that I would be better informed on the topics at hand. After CAP Congress, I continued to read the newspaper. I feel like I know whats going on in the world now. CAP Congress made me more accepting of other peoples opinions. When I was researching all six of the topics for the position paper, I had to research both sides of the issues. This ended up making me start to question my own beliefs. CAP Congress was a great experience for me because it helped improve my skills on time management, group work, and social awareness.

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