HSLP 2011: Day 6-Thursday, July 14

High School Leaders Program
Day 6 - Thursday, July 14
Reported by: Dana Raphael, Washington Lee High School

Today we had class with Mr. Johnson and discussed the structure of Virginia state government. We commenced the day by analyzing the Virginia Constitution, with the purpose of revision. Our Constitution has not been revised in forty years, since 1971. In groups we proposed and voted on amendments to the Constitution. Some legalized gay marriage, re-enfranchised ex-convicts and extended the term of governor.

After lunch we were privileged to speak to Bob Sayler, author of “Tongue-Tied America.” He gave a fantastic lecture on the degradation of the art of speaking, especially among youth. In a digital age, people are spending less time talking and more time sending electronic messages. Mr. Sayler informed us that teens spent nearly half of their waking hours utilizing an electronic device.

Later in the afternoon, we used the information we gained from Mr. Sayler in a debate. Our classmates debated the structures of the Virginia governmental system. Personally, I have never been exposed to debate, so today was a new and fantastic experience for me. We also gave presentations on the structures of government, such as the judicial system and the office of governor.

Dinner was Chinese food, followed by intense work sessions. In fact I’m writing in a frantic panic right now, as 80 pages of reading and two presentations are due tomorrow. Who needs sleep? Despite the large workload, we are learning a lot of critical information and this program is a fantastic introduction to college.