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2023 Model Student Senate

This year’s Model Student Senate Program held on February 9-10, 2023, was a success. One hundred students, from 8 high schools (Astronaut High, Bayside High, Cocoa High, Edgewood Jr/Sr High, Melbourne High, Rockledge High, Space Coast Jr/Sr High, Viera High, and West Shore Jr/Sr High) participated in this event. This Brevard program has been held annually since 1980. However, due to COVID, the district’s last Model Student Senate was held three years ago in February 2020.

 

Under their school sponsors' guidance, students were assigned a U.S. senator from the 117th Congress to portray. Students conducted research on their assigned senator, learning as much as they could about that senator’s positions on the issues, their state’s history, parliamentary procedures, debate, and the nuances of writing legislation.

 

This simulation brings the legislative process alive for participating students and provides them with a practical application of lawmaking. Through hands-on learning, students experience senate rules and procedures.

 

Judge Scott Blaue, of the 18th Judicial Circuit, swore the students in as mock senators, and Sherri Bowman, BPS Director of Secondary Programs, delivered the keynote address.

 

 

This year’s award recipients were:

  • Connor Cornell, Viera High - Most Influential Senator
  • Anjani Sharma, West Shore Jr/Sr High - Judges’ Commendation Award
  • Viera High School - School Commendation Award
  • Mason Spira, Viera High - Best Committee Chairman
  • Connor Cornell, Viera High - Best Ranking Senator
  • Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) *various schools - Most Effective Committee
  • Ash Blackstone, Bayside High - Most Effective Page
  • Baylee Bevel, Space Coast Jr/Sr - Most Effective Secretary
  • Anjani Sharma, West Shore Jr/Sr High - Most Effective Senator (voted by students)

The Senate Leadership:

  • Gabriella McDermott, Viera High School, President of the Senate (Kamala Harris)
  • Gretel Ramos, Cocoa High School, Majority Leader (Chuck Schumer)
  • Brock Mueller, Cocoa High School, Majority Whip (Richard “Dick” Durbin)
  • Christian Carey, Cocoa High School, Minority Leader (Mitch McConnell)
  • Yasmin Mosby, Cocoa High School, Minority Whip (John Thune)


For questions or additional information, contact Ms. Jennifer Jolley, Secondary Social Studies Content Specialist (jolley.jennifer@brevardschools.org).