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Model Congress at Mepham
By Craig Nussbaum
The Political Forum in Mepham High School is a club beyond belief. In addition to its regular Monday meetings, where members debate a wide variety of issues and topics, the members of the organization, on February 28 and March 1, hosted Mepham Model Congress XVII. The involved students from all over Long Island care about the issues concerning our nation and also have a great time in the process.
On the first day at Mepham, the Congress was broken up into different committees depending on the topic each person wished to discuss. Before the committee sessions, each student decided which of four political parties to join (Republican, Democrat, Liberal, or Conservative). In committee, the members must decide whether or not a bill is good for the country. Supporters and opponents of the bill speak in front of the committee about their views, trying to convince the members of their position.
The committee then votes and decides whether to pass a bill or fail it. Students examine different bills that the US Congress has looked at in the past, or even propose new and original bills. There are also joke bills, which are funny or entertaining bills that would never actually be considered in Congress. A typical joke bill would propose to implement a student juice bar in every school. Bills may also be amended, in which parts of a bill are added or taken away from its original form. The students laughed and ate as they decided different situations.
"It gives everyone the opportunity to speak to people about what's on your mind," said Evan madin, a Republican from Oceanside. "It's nice to be serious and mature, and to have fun doing it," said Vloria Fund from Tri-d.
On the second day of the Congress, all of the students were divided between the House of Representatives and the Senate. The bills that passed the committee sessions were now viewed by the House and Senate sessions. It was fascinating to see some the debates between members of different parties who had different beiefs.
One of the bills proposed to have breathalyzers installed in cars to prohibit a car from starting if the driver's BAC level (blood alcohol content) was too high. Supporters of the bill claimed that it would save lives, and would be worth the cost to install them. Opponents claimed the technology was too expensive and would not work very well. After being amended, the bill was passed stipulating that the device would only be made in the United States and would legitimately prevent people from driving drunk.
Many topics were discussed, including tobacco, alcohol, and firearms, the New York State educational system, and euthanasia (mercy killing, which Dr. Jack Kevorkian has become famous for). Other issues led to intense debate, such as welfare reform, affirmative action, and abortion.
The Mepham Model Congress was run primarily by the executive board members, who are Jonathan Margulies, Jen Fuoco, Nick Robbins, Mike Gambale, Allison Kestenbaum, Amy Appel, Ilene West, Evan Gottfried, and Political Forum advisor, Ms. Fee.
Everyone had a great time discussing views on different topics and got a real leap into politics in the United States. In doing so. Friendships were formed and memories were made that will last a lifetime.
By Alex Alexiou
Have you ever come back to school in the early evening, after you've already eaten dinner and relaxed from your hard day at school?` Most of you probably haven't. But if you've ever stayed after school late on Thursday nights, you might have heard music drifting through the halIs, coming from the band room. It's sometimes loud, pulsating music that grabs you and makes your adrenaline flow. Sometimes it's a soft and slow ballad that makes you relax. Trumpets are very prominent, as are saxophones and trombones. Drums, piano, and bass meld together to form the rhythm of the music. Occasionally, you might hear one single instrument rise above all the others and play a solo. You're listening to the Mepham Jazz Ensemble.
The jazz ensemble is a select group of some of the best musicians in the school. It is made up of twenty or so instrumentalists, and has been in existence at Mepham for ten years. The jazz ensemble is led by Brian Neiderman, who has played jazz trumpet in the 1st Marine Airway and CW Post (on lead trumpet) as well as with several other jazz bands led by such people as Bob Rotunda, Al Miller, Sonny Lann, and several other notable names in jazz music.
When Mr. Neiderman first came to Mepham back in 1986, there was no jazz ensemble in the school. "At one point, there had been a jazz band called the Jolly Rogers, but that was back many years ago," he said. During his first year of teaching at Mepham, he formed a jazz band, and over the years they have enjoyed much success.
The jazz band went to the McDonald's Jazz Festival in 1988 and l989. The '89 ensemble also won 1st place in competition at Virginia Beach. The next year, the ensemble placed 5th out of 29 ensembles in Toronto. But he admits that he can't pick one ensemble that was really the best. "They each have their own good qualities," he said. Of this year's ensemble, he said, "They have tremendous character. We have the best sax section I've had in ten years. We also have a really good rhythm section. They're all very good and motivated, and everyone always puts in 110%." He likes rehearsing at night because, "Everyone is more relaxed and plays much better."
This year, the jazz ensemble will be traveling to Virginia along with Mepham's Wind Ensemble in April for competition. Both groups are looking forward to the trip with the utmost confidence and enthusiasm, and with the hope that they will add another chapter to Mepham's musical history.
Mepham Jazz Band
