During the week of January 15th, Molloy’s AP Government classes participated in a Mock Congress simulation. The project, which is College Board approved, satisfies the civics project requirement for the AP Government and Politics course, and allows for students to better understand the workings of Congress and prepares them for their future civic duties.
The project requires each AP Gov student to write their own bill based on their interests, randomly assigned political party’s ideology, or what they feel is beneficial to the US as a whole. Students then work together in small groups made up of six committee members to decide whether or not to present/pass a randomly assigned student-made bill.
The project concluded with floor debates, where students with leadership roles (Speaker of the House, Majority Leader, Majority Whip, Minority Leader, and Minority Whip) help run and foster debate on the bills. The course is taught by Ms. Diana Rayappa '04, who shares, “Of all my years of teaching AP Government, this project is the one activity that alumni always tell me that they enjoyed because it made them more aware of how Congress works. It has also encouraged them to go vote in local, state, and congressional elections, not just the presidential elections.”