Students from all over Virginia participate in Model General Assembly

This year, Model General Assembly (MGA) was held over Arlington’s spring break, making the normally small delegation for H-B even smaller. We had five members participate: two underclassmen, two who acted as delegates, and one who acted as a senator. 

Between the five of us, we had one bill that passed in the senate, but it died on the house floor. While the upperclassmen were working on the bills from committees to cross chambers, the underclassmen had a different experience touring the Virginia state capital, and having our own legislature, and meeting with the youth governor, their cabinet and the attorney general.

Nora said about MGA this year, “Our students did H-B proud at MGA. Although their bill did not pass, our legislators shined a light on the important issue of ambulance deserts in Virginia’s rural counties. I couldn’t be more proud of our participants, and can’t wait to see what our club does next year!”    

MGA is a place where you can meet other people not just in Northern Virginia but everywhere, from Tangier Island to the Eastern shore of Virginia. Everyone from all over the state brings a wide variety of ideas. 

I talked to the other underclassman from H-B, Wren Ludlow, about his thoughts on MGA, “MGA was a great experience, because it not only increased my legislative capabilities, but also allowed me to meet so many people from across the state, building connections and lasting friendships.” 

Additionally, MGA can help provide a look into future careers. When I talked to Rayanna Carson, an underclassman from Altavista Combined School in Campbell County, she told me, “I made a lot of new friends and it helped me figure out where I want to go with my life.”

Special shoutout to Dr. Dixon over at Wakefield for taking the H-B delegation this year since Nora could not attend.