Off the Rocker

Round One of the Belly Flop Contest

2008-07-05T18:25:00.001-07:00

Picture from Around the Assembly

2008-07-05T18:24:00.000-07:00

Ohio Devotional

2008-07-05T18:23:00.002-07:00

We Will Rock You CONA Style

2008-07-05T18:23:00.001-07:00

Virginia State Submission by Daron Vaught

2008-07-05T18:15:00.000-07:00

For well over one hundred years, the Virginia YMCA has proudly been the Commonwealth’s innovator of youth leadership and government programs, and though I have obviously not been able to witness every year of it, I have had the pleasure of being a prime example of one of the thousands of beneficiaries of the organization and its opportunities. Through all that the YMCA offers, including the Model General Assembly, Model Judiciary Program, and Teen Leadership Conferences, students are encouraged to facilitate their knowledge of the body that governs the Commonwealth of Virginia, all while gaining a new understanding for the importance of both civic responsibility and public service at such young ages.
The Virginia chapter’s most prominent program is the Model General Assembly, organized to simulate Virginia’s legislative process, the General Assembly, every spring. The event is held at the Capitol building in Richmond, Virginia, where approximately 600 students from over 60 high schools across the state participate as senators, delegates, lobbyists, pages, and reporters. Aside from the legislative branch, students also have the option to participate as executive branch representatives, who work closely with each other and the Youth Governor on one topic and give a presentation on that issue at the end of the weekend.
The Model Judiciary Program gives over 2,000 high school students a look at the other aspect of Virginia’s government: its court system. Schools are given controversial scenarios and specific facts for each, chosen by the Young Lawyers Division of the Virginia Bar Association. Students then participate as attorneys, witnesses, and jurors in mock trials. This program culminates in the spring, as select schools argue oral appeals in front of the Supreme Court of Virginia.
The Virginia YMCA even coordinates programs for middle school students who just cannot wait until high school to get involved with Youth and Government. The Teen Leadership Conferences are one-day seminars designed to introduce even younger minds to Virginia’s government and, much like the Model General Assembly, place an emphasis on the state’s legislature.
Aside from these programs, of course, each individual high school club is encouraged to do as much as possible in the field of community service. As an officer of Rural Retreat High School’s Hi-Y Club, I had the pleasure to both help orchestrate and participate in all of the activities necessary for the club to become one of two recipients of the state’s Ace Award, rewarded for excellence in service to the community.
I will never forget the knowledge, experiences, and friendships I gained throughout my participation in the Virginia YMCA’s Youth & Government programs. This Conference on National Affairs will be my last high school YMCA activity, so on that note I would like to thank the Virginia YMCA for greatly influencing the person I am today. I will surely miss these great times and wonderful experiences I have encountered as I seek more knowledge in my continued studies and exploration of life after high school.

Washington State Submission by Rachel Leavitt-Baron

2008-07-05T18:14:00.000-07:00

Coming from Seattle, Tacoma, Bellingham, and everywhere in between, there are seven delegates representing Washington this year. We have proposals ranging from ratifying the Kyoto Protocol, instituting the Department of Peace and Nonviolence, requiring all public high school students to take one class in world religion as well as four more excellent controversial ideas. On June 25, the seven very excited Washington delegates, two advisors and two children took a six hour plane ride from Seattle/Tacoma to Nashville for our pre-trip. Hanging out with the Tennessee delegation was fun and essential to make sure we were comfortable around each other. We visited many monuments in Nashville such as the capitol, Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage and the ever so controversial (in our delegation) Parthenon. Finally, the anticipation was over and we started our six hour drive from Nashville, Tennessee to Black Mountain, North Carolina. This year we have four delegates returning to CONA who are very excited to get back to the mountain and see old friends and three new delegates who will hopefully soon discover exactly what the Blue Ridge Spirit is.

The UN (Kentucky Stat Submission) by Alex Oliva

2008-07-05T18:13:00.000-07:00

How great is it to have the entire world in one room? How much do we love the UN? Well, nowadays, not enough. There are many people in this country that think the United Nations is flawed. At the 2008 Conference on National Affairs, there is a proposal that deals directly with this issue. This Proposal 90 deals with the U.S. leaving the UN and forming an individual relationship with all nations. This succession from the United Nations would be very controversial and something that a lot of people would support.
This is something that I have seen happening in action. Kentucky’s Model United Nations, the United States delegation was asked to leave the chamber for having pulled their voting delegate from the floor. This is a surreal experience and showed the chaos that would ensue.
The U.S. is the backbone of the United Nations and with its withdraw, the UN would collapse. In this one man’s opinion, this proposal is not a horrible idea, the UN has no real power and cannot make any real decisions. The soldiers of the UN cannot even defend the people they are supposed to protect. We may not want to back out all of the way; however, we do need to change our dealings with the UN socially, politically, and economically.
The U.S. should not fund the UN in the way it presently does. The countries of the UN should take on more of the burden. I think that the United Nations does many good things, yet, overall is still ineffective in many ways. This is something that should be debated hard and should have a serious look taken upon it.

The Musical State (Tennesee State Submission) by Anastasia Gnyp

2008-07-05T18:12:00.001-07:00

Tennessee, among other things, lays claim to the title of country music capital of the World. However, this state is also home to numerous Volunteers and the birthplace of some of the most dedicated Youth in Government delegates you will ever meet. YMCA Youth in Government in Tennessee offers a unique experience with civic engagement for more than 3,200 students each year, ranging in age from 5th to 12th grade.
Eight statewide conferences are held in Tennessee each year: two middle school and two high school Model United Nations conferences, as well as two middle and high school Youth in Government conferences in our State Capitol. When delegates aren’t debating in the House or Senate of YIG, or Plenary session of MUN, they have the opportunity to serve as Governor’s Cabinet Members, Lobbyists, Video Press Members, Printed Press Members, Supreme Court Justices, or Lawyers at YIG or at the Model UN as International Court Justices, lawyers, or Security Council members.
Because we hold multiple conferences, some of our delegates here at CONA had never met one another until boarding the bus on Saturday. Still, somehow, year after year, our time spent together on the Mountain turns the strangers of yesterday into today’s lifelong friends and we always pick up a few wonderful new friends hailing from states all across the country. Now you know a little about our program; however, we want to help break the ice by sharing a few fun facts about one of our state’s most accomplished and colorful sons. President Andrew Jackson called the Hermitage in the Middle Tennessee home, and was quite a character. Not only did he survive a failed assassination attempt when his would-be assassins shots missed their target, he also managed to lay hold of his assassin and beat him brutally- his fists his only weapon. And that wasn’t his only brush with death- during a duel, he took a bullet from his opponent, stood his ground, and fired back-killing his foe. The bullet would remain lodged in Jackson’s chest forever. While President, Jackson held an inauguration party at the White House that was open to the public. Party-goers enjoyed the revelry so much that Jackson was forced to lure the drunken mobs out of the house onto the lawn with large vats of orange juice and beer, so that order could be restored to a disheveled White house. Finally, Jackson introduced the donkey as the symbol of the Democratic Party, which the nation still uses today.

South Carolina State Submission

2008-07-05T18:11:00.001-07:00

Three weeks before arriving on the mountain, while most other delegations were waiting to see if they were staying in Asheville Hall or Lee, finalizing t-shirt ideas and making sure all their deadlines were met, South Carolina faced a sudden crisis.
For the past 18 years, a significant portion of the funding for the South Carolina YMCA Youth in Government program has come from the state. However, on Thursday May 29, Gov. Sanford vetoed a bill which would have appropriated $18,446 to fund next year’s YIG programs. The House of Representatives voted to sustain the veto, but after some pressure, agreed to reconsider its decision on Tuesday, June 3.
Almost immediately, YIG program director Mary Capers Bledsoe sent out a call to all student participants in Youth in Government, urging each student to call the legislators who voted to sustain the veto, and explain, politely and professionally, how much YIG means to them. A list of all of the legislator’s phone numbers was included in the e-mail.
By midnight on Friday, May 30, the Facebook group “STOP SC LEGISLATURE FROM REMOVING YIG FUNDING” had over 150 members. Kat Humphries, a senior, compiled a complete list of the legislator’s e-mail addresses, and posted it on the group’s web page.
All weekend, calls and emails went out in force. Sarah Parker Phillips, a rising sophomore who lives in Charleston, called every single number.
“Youth in Government is something I can look forward to months in advance. Not many things in high school give you the opportunity to learn something by actually trying it out, and even fewer are truly memorable, fun experiences. YIG does. YIG is. Ten years from now, I won't remember sitting in a classroom listening to a lecture about the legislative process, but I will remember living it, and I'll remember the best kids South Carolina has to offer, all in one place, doing what we love,” Phillips said.
By Saturday, the Facebook group’s membership had doubled to just over 300. A website where concerns could be expressed directly to Governor Sanford’s office had been linked and posted, and, on top of continuing calls and e-mails, students were now barraging the office with polite complaints. Bob Leach, a representative from Greenville, told the ninth person to call him on Saturday that he had already been fully convinced, and didn’t need to be called again.
“If you talk to anyone involved in Youth in Government,” Neha Parthasarathy, 2008-2009’s Youth Governor, said. “They will tell you that it's not just a surface level extracurricular program, but a program that profoundly affects people. The students that you see at YIG are the students you see out there truly making a difference. $18,000 is not a lot of money to ask for a life changing experience. YIG is helping South Carolina students transition into becoming the citizens who will build the state’s future.” As far as making a difference? The House overrode Sanford’s veto. The Senate followed without a fight, and the South Carolina delegation retained its funding

Pennsylvania state article by Ryan Brown

2008-07-05T18:10:00.001-07:00

Pennsylvania’s Youth and Government (YAG) program, and by extension their CONA delegation, have a long and proud history. Currently in its 62nd year of operation, YAG is an accurate and detailed representation of the Pennsylvania government system. Meeting every spring at the State Capitol in Harrisburg, the two General Assembly chambers present bills for debate – and pray for support against the governor’s vetoes. An active judicial branch, complete with black robes, consider serious legal issues throughout the weekend-long session, as well.
The most talked-about event every spring, however, is the gubernatorial election for the coming year. This April, Harrisburg native Carl Feldman edged out heavy competition and won the governorship, succeeding previous leader Jeff Mitch of the Pittsburgh area. Pennsylvania’s YAG program is divided between East and West – a division that expressed itself this year in the form of a Penguins fans-vs.-Flyers fans Red Rover match. Nevertheless, the annual conference sees most regional rivalries set aside in the name of effective legislation and statewide unity.
At the end of each session, members are announced for PA’s famed CONA delegation. Armed with a variety of chants and a fiercely proud attitude, Pennsylvania has been known for its interstate rivalries and proclivity for ‘shenanigans.’ For the last several years, the PA kids have successfully kidnapped or deflated Wisconsin’s beloved cow mascot. Pennsylvania isn’t all about pranks and cow-killing; though: their esteemed delegates are known as active and passionate debaters, and as of the time of this article’s writing the vast majority of their bills have survived the committee system. PA is even active in the area of research – advisor and official “unbelievably nice guy” David John is a research aide at the Wired Bear.
In all, Pennsylvania remains the home of a vibrant youth government program and a famous (or infamous) CONA delegation. If you’d like to learn more, they can be found in Asheville Hall, or on the tables at lunch singing ‘Hava Nagila’ – just follow the Pittsburghese accents!

New York State Submission by Malea Otranto and Alaina Ryan

2008-07-05T18:09:00.000-07:00

Every new CONA delegate has different impressions after arriving at the mountain for the first time. How does everyone already know each other? What is a Eureka Treat? Where can I get one? Is it just me or is it “hot in hurr?” What is the difference between a state, family, commonwealth, and republic? Where in the woods is Carmen Sandiego? And lastly, where is the Blue Ridge Spirit? I can’t find it on my map.
As the conference begins to unfold however, the answers spring up in the most unexpected places. All of us strive for that cross-country friendship, that memory we will never forget, that debate in which we hope to participate. As first years, we might get that nervous butterfly feeling when approaching the stand to speak or feel intimidated by the CONA veterans. In first, second, and third committees listening to the first, second, third, and even fourth year delegates speak their views, just shows one thing about all of us: despite our diversity we are here, in this mountain setting of North Carolina, to make a difference. As first years or even returnees, above all we will strive to make that difference throughout the week and to remember it.

MUN “State” Submission

2008-07-05T18:08:00.000-07:00

At opening ceremony, the delegate carrying the Model United Nations (MUN) flag might have seemed a little out of place, because CONA is, by many, recognized as a state conference. The fact that MUN does not represent a state makes it by nature somewhat of an outcast delegation.
While some MUN delegates feel that a slight social stigma has been associated with their delegation, it is most likely a mere misinterpretation. The seeming general predilection for state delegations is the result of a (more than reasonable) lack of understanding about why and how MUN is at CONA. Other delegations have either never participated in the program or have run their MUN (like YAG) for just a single state.
The conference is broken up into several committees (i.e. General Assembly and Security Council), comprised of representatives of the UN countries. As an aside, countries are assigned to several different schools who are attending the conference. Before the event, students must submit a proposal abstract concerning his or her country’s standpoint on a particular issue. Using these outlines, delegates at the conference try to pass resolutions in the committee that they write on the spot. This conference demands that students thoroughly study their topics and construct articulate speeches.
“MUN requires students to develop their own perspective on both national and international issues,” Tyler Brent, MUN, said. Thus, selected out of a diverse and talented lot of one thousand plus students, the MUN delegates are, to say the least, a group of dedicated debaters.
MUN is a delegation comprised of twenty-five students from all over the Mid- Atlantic Region (plus Maryland). Said students were selected for their outstanding performance and more importantly their enthusiasm for debating politics. The MUN conference, held in Hershey, PA, is a weekend affair which is based upon the actual UN.
Although these delegates do not have a specific state to associate with, the delegates like to boast in good humor. Rather than uniting under New Jersey or Texas, the members of this delegation unite with the same passion and zeal under the letters M-U-N.

Minnesota State Submission by Ed Sabongi

2008-07-05T18:07:00.000-07:00

Ranked 4th in size and 3rd in overall quality, the Minnesota Youth in Government has always been unanimously declared by its participants the greatest, period. While probably not the greatest, it is widely seen as one of the best, consisting of a widely equipped and intensive General Assembly and an accompanying Model United Nations (MUN) conference consisting of 1200 and 600 students respectively drawn from all over the state.
Model Assembly is probably the most unique, consisting of a four day excursion that takes over almost an entire 25 story hotel, the state Capitol, a fourth of a convention center, a small local TV station, and the entire subway system for a five mile radius. The Minnesota Model Assembly consists of a Leadership Corps for the eight graders, an Appellate Court, Supreme Courts, two seats of House Chambers and Senate Chambers for underclassmen, radio stations, a TV station, a daily news paper, lobbyist program, and a well stocked cabinet. The four day Model Assembly is so intensive and fun that at the closing ceremony when the vote to adjourn is called, not one delegate calls “aye,” all shout “nay.” Sadly, the “ayes” always have it. Thankfully it always comes around every January.
Another key part of the Minnesota YMCA experience is MUN. Commencing every March, MUN draws 600 plus students from across the state to its capitol city for an intensive and rewarding conference. The program is comprised of students grades seven through 12 and is split into two assemblies, one for high school and on for middle school. Every year, hot button issue are raised and debated, with everyone taking full interest in what happens. One unique part of the MUN experience is the Security Council emergency. Every year, the Security Council is woken up in the middle of one of the nights, for a “world crisis” which they, and subsequently, the General Assembly, must solve.
For what this article may lack in length and detail, I apologize. But it is short and lacking only because there is so much to write about that I’m afraid that if I write anymore I’ll end up with a book. I can only hope that your imagination can stretch to encompass the joy, fun, and accomplishment that Minnesota “Yig-gers” experience every January and March.

Massachusetts State Submission by Andrew Budnick and Sean Costello

2008-07-05T18:06:00.000-07:00

This is not a regular story. CONA, with all of its quirks and procedures is not a regular camp. The Massachusetts delegation (and indeed all others) is not a regular group of people. So it follows that the story of the first devotional at the 2008 Conference on National Affairs is not a regular story.
This story began weeks before the opening ceremony; actually, it began months before that, at the Massachusetts Youth and Government conference, but let’s be brief. The powers-that-be in CONA assigned Massachusetts the first devotional. Massachusetts has not performed a devotional since 2005, so the delegation collectively cheered when their advisors told them the news.
It is important to note that at this point, the delegation was not a unit. They were still twenty students, many of them already tanned by early summer beach visits. This the first part of the story ends with twenty individual ideas and preferences.
The second part of the story takes place on a bus. Unlike other, farther off, delegations, Massachusetts flew to Charlotte and only had a three-hour bus ride to put up with. But this bus ride perpetuated a startling transformation in the delegation. As they worked on the devotional (breaking into four groups to write the four separate parts) their ideas, until now disconnected, fused together like the spirits of their owners. They were not done with the devotional, far from it in fact, but they were without a doubt closer than before.
We now move onto the third part of our story. This part takes place in the upper rooms of Heaton Hall. As this point the devotional was almost completed. Three of the four sections were planned and rehearsed. The final section; however, was in disarray. Tempers were high, eyelids were drooping, and bladders were full; it was during this high-tension point that the true humanity of the Massachusetts delegation revealed itself. It was not, of course, necessary for the others to stay behind. Many, in fact, did yield to their fatigue and a much needed rest; however, several remained with these depressed delegates until they were rolling again. The devotional was still not done, but the delegation- the people, were.
The final part was, of course, the devotional itself. Parts were unrehearsed, parts were rough, and parts had never been spoken aloud before. But there was something not quite regular about the situation. Everyone in the room, all six hundred of them, were in support of the Massachusetts delegation. Not a single soul wanted them to fail, and it was this simple and innocent fact that carried them through. It is, of course, a different thing to speak on about six hundred people, but it is not as hard when every one of them wants you to succeed. This success is the end of our story.
The moral of the story is that every person here is not regular. Everyone, of course, has immature moments, but the Massachusetts delegation saw firsthand that when a group of regular people get together, the result can be decidedly more than the sum of the parts; that is the moral of the story.

Connecticut State Submission by Pete Mills

2008-07-05T18:05:00.000-07:00

Alright, so first off, I’d like to make sure it’s very clear that Connecticut is not the name of one of New York City’s suburbs. Also, we are not all rich, horse-owning, Mercedes-driving, WASPS: I know this from personal experience. Finally, we are not really a blue state, unfortunately, even though we’ve gone democrat at the last five elections. Actually, we are a red state that disguises itself as a blue state, and if you don’t believe me…our Senator is yes…sigh…Joseph Liebermen.
Now, most of these assumptions are out of the way and I don’t feel awkward being very intimate with you. So here’s a little heart-to-heart about this thing we like to call CONA. In a nutshell, it is simply YIG or YAG summer camp minus any bug juice or camp fires. It is the most refreshing, inspirational, light-a-fire-under-you week in the entire year. It is our time to find clarity, to see past political labels, and prejudices, admit when we are wrong, and ultimately finding the truth in situations. It is this reason that we all make our calendars, literally or just mentally, for the CONA week and begin a countdown that brings more excitement as each day passes and we inch closer to this special week.
CONA brings us all to a new level, a new perception of ourselves and allows us to realize in our own time what is truly important. If CONA is anything, it is consistent. It consistently challenges us to be better, constantly moves us towards progress, consistently inspires us and shows us what the definition or community is. Connecticut delegates past and present will never forget the Blue Ridge Assembly and this conference, nor will we ever be able to adequately thank it for everything it has done for us. Thank you, CONA, for everything, from Connecticut.

Cali Rocks Rock City (California State Submission)

2008-07-05T18:00:00.001-07:00

Prior to arrival at CONA, California had its own little bonding adventure. Spending four days in the South it is common to encounter many unique things, but none more interesting than Rock City. Rock City, located in Georgia, is a wonderful locale filled with magic, awe, and of course rocks.
What really sets Rock City apart from other vacation sports is its Fairytale Cavern of Wonder. Now, imagine…an underground cavern…laden with sparkles and colors, filled to its brim with gnomes. Yes, that’s right, Gnomes. Now, we don’t want to ruin too much of it for you as you must definitely go there and see for yourself, but let’s just say, California delegates have never been so terrified or amused in their lives. So be sure to go check out Rock City, the California delegation recommends it highly.

Devotionals by Mallory McCampbell and Sarah McClure

2008-07-05T17:55:00.000-07:00

The last activity of the night, before the delegates head off to their delegation meetings and then bed, different delegations perform devotionals to inspire and encourage their fellow delegates. The first night, Massachusetts set the stage of devotionals throughout the week. When asked who was the main person in charge of their devotional, Jonathan Mojica said that Alexis Morin was the one who came up with the idea. He also said the delegation as a whole came together to make it well presented. Mojica said that the colors of their shirts were symbolizing the YMCA core value of caring as well as explaining passion. The shirts faded from red into white. This was to show that caring comes out of having passion for something, but passion is much bolder and stronger. Some people were nervous to present this idea, but others were very excited to be able to show the conference what Massachusetts could bring to the table. Mojica also said “I would like to thank everyone for the attentiveness that they showed during our devotional.”
On Sunday night, Model UN performed a Sesame Street themed skit in Ware Pavilion on honesty. Second year delegate, AJ Horowitz of the Model UN delegation was kind enough to answer our question. He said that Olaniyi Solebo, the previous Secretary General, Kelsey Coolidge, the Deputy Secretary General, and Dan Morris, the incoming Secretary General, were the masterminds behind the script of their skit. “They wrote three scripts, one based on Sesame Street, one based on Pinocchio, and one based on Winnie the Pooh. They emailed everyone in the delegation the rough drafts of the three scripts and then we all voted on them,” Horowitz said. Horowitz also mentioned the advisors had little to no part in the planning or execution of the devotional. The Model UN delegation was assigned their topic (honesty) and performed their skit really well. Each delegate was a different Sesame Street character and told the rest of the conference the importance of honesty from the perspective of their respective characters. Oscar the Grouch, played by Horowitz, confidently told everyone he was very honest because he constantly displayed how he really felt. Horowitz said that they didn’t even practice that much because they didn’t ever see each other before the conference and so were only able to rehearse when they actually got on the Mountain. “We didn’t even know who was going to be who until Saturday night. We practiced once Sunday morning and a couple of times right before we went up,” Horowitz said. Horowitz told us that he thought it went “surprisingly well.” “It was really cool. Afterwards we were in a huddle and people came up and gave us hugs and stuff. I liked knowing that what we did didn’t go unappreciated,” Horowitz said. All in all, the well thought out Model UN devotional was a stupendous success.
On Monday night this week the devotional was presented by the Ohio delegation. The Ohio delegation enjoys bringing new ideas to the Conference on National Affairs. Their devotional was not the normal lecture of one of the YMCA core values. Instead, the presentation of responsibility by the Ohio delegation was a pleasant surprise. They were able to pull together a presentation that was original and like nothing else. Vannessa Wilson was the main coordinator of the devotional for her delegation. When asked the day before how much they had left to get done before they were ready for their presentation, Wilson responded “We still have a lot to get done, but we will be ready when the time comes.” Wilson and the rest of the Ohio delegation were trying to bring the new idea of describing responsibility in stepping. Many other delegates found the presentation very entertaining and amusing. By being able to allow the other CONA delegates to relate on more of a secular term, the Ohio delegation was able to captivate on a unique level. By stepping up to this level they showed that they could take responsibility when given the opportunity to present a core value at this conference.
Tuesday night, July 3rd, the Washington delegation performed a devotional on respect. We interviewed Alex Mech and asked him about the behind the scenes preparation that went into their enlightening performance. “We got together and couldn’t agree on one thing because we all had different ideas. The one thing we did agree on was that we didn’t have to agree with each other to respect each other,” Mech said. They decided that the best way to start was to go around and say what they each individually thought respect was. They ended up deciding that the best way to present it was just for everyone to tell the rest of the conference what their individual thoughts on respect was. “We tried to show respect to each other while we were presenting. Our main goal was to get people thinking,” Mech said. When asked what he gained personally from the experience, Mech told us “I think I always thought of respect as one thing and my own view of it without writing it down. I learned that there are multiple views of respect and I think it is an action rather than a definition.”

Fashion- The Great Uniter by Nicole Geier

2008-07-05T17:54:00.001-07:00

CONA brings teens from all over the United States to debate and illustrate their fashion trends. Well, most of us do! Every individual has different taste in fashion. He or she may or may not follow a certain fashion trend in their region of the U.S.
The northern region of the U.S. is incredibly cold in the winter and slightly warmer in the summer. To shield from the harsh winter, delegates from New Jersey wear classy scarves, chunky sweaters, leg warmers, and cozy jackets to stay warm. Boots! Boots! Boots! Everyone there loves boots. From Nine West rider boots to vintage cowboy boots there are many varieties to fancy your style. New Jersey’s fashions are influenced by New York’s urban style. For the most part, everyone in Jersey has their own individual style. Delegates from the North are not used to the hot weather of the South. They had to dress cooler than normal. A few days this week it was chilly, and Southern delegates are not accustomed to the cold weather. Many delegates were huddling for warmth because they did not pack jackets.
Delegates from the Southern region fight horrific heat and humidity almost year round. To stay cool on hot days, girls from Alabama wear sundresses and shorts. If you visit the South, during anytime of the year, he or she will see almost everyone wearing flip flops. Even though mothers say it’s bad for one’s feet, Alabamians wear them year round, even if they lose toes due to frost bite. In Texas, everyone rocks a cowboy hat, certainly if you have a bad hair day. Boys in Alabama try not to have a bad hair day. They spend hours in the mirror perfecting the famous side “Swoosh”.
California, here we come! But what should we wear? West coast style is similar to the Southern region’s style. When delegates return to Cali they may wear shorts and sandals. The style there is very laid back; and carefree. On the West coast people tend to follow three major trends: clean cut preppy, Phat Farm, or punk. West coast people are mellow which is revealed in their carefree, seaside influenced style.
CONA taught us that it is okay to be an individual. So if you have a unique style and are afraid of showing it don’t be!
As my mother always said, “Opinions are like noses, everyone has one.” Don’t be afraid to dress a differently from everyone else in your region of the U.S. In the end your opinion of yourself is the only opinion that matters.

Whether a First Year or a Returner...

2008-07-05T17:52:00.000-07:00

On the opening day of the YMCA Youth Conference of National Affairs, many first-year delegates shared in completely different and enjoyable experiences. Whether in the Robert E. Lee Hall or in the green rocking chairs around the facility, delegates showed their eagerness and excitement to meet their fellow delegates. For many first-year delegates this atmosphere was overwhelmingly friendly. Many delegates, such as Austin for the Missouri delegation, stated that they found it interesting now people came on to their buses to introduce themselves. They also found it very welcoming when delegates even carried luggage to their room for them. Along with enjoying immediate immersion of social activity, delegates from differing climates reported that the view of Black Mountain initially caught their attention. Many first-year delegates reported that they enjoyed just rocking back and forth while staring into the sky and admiring the natural beauty of the mountain.
Bartering captivated new delegates. This concept of trading representations of different regions fascinated first-year delegates. Some delegates eagerly worked to obtain pins from all over the country. Sarah, a first-year delegate from Texas, stated that the “trading of the different items allowed [her] to overcome [her] shyness and reach out to her peers”. The first day of CONA started a journey for many first-time delegates that leave these delegates excited for what else is to come.
In contrast, returning delegates found they could turn their first year fears into anticipation after being away from the mountain for a year. With a year or two of experience under their belts, the returning delegates felt more prepared to present and debate their proposals. Some were even excited to take a first year delegates under their wings to show them the CONA ways. Also, returning delegates felt that when they were first-years, they did not quite understand what to expect at the conference, but now, with their experience, they know more of the means and ways of CONA. Joe, a second-year delegate from Louisiana, sated he hoped that this year’s conference could “live up to” last year’s conference. On a different note, Lindsay, a second- year from the Florida delegation, said that she did not wish to “compare the two years because [she] wants to live this experience for itself. Although they all had amazing experiences, they are looking forward to gain more memories at this year’s conference.
Even though first-year delegates and returning delegates came to the conference with different expectations, in the end, they all come across the country to partake and enjoy the same festivities.

Legalized Prostitution by Darryl Tibbs

2008-07-05T17:49:00.000-07:00

In Heaton Hall at yesterday’s General Assembly session a proposal was passed that would have turned heads if you only heard the title. It was to legalize prostitution. But what if the proposal vote was pretty much a landslide and favored the legalization of prostitution? Well that was the case yesterday, because so many pro speakers were passionate about this proposal. The argument favored in business mostly, because it makes prostitution a business, and as we all might suspect, it will be a very successful business. But is it morally correct? That was a question asked, but proved to be a weak argument compared to the business side, the money side.

Mascots by Logan Finucan

2008-07-05T17:46:00.000-07:00

The cow, the superhero, the swan, etc. Sometimes all that has to be said is one word to get a CONA delegate to immediately think of a specific delegation. These symbols, some old and some new, can seem baffling to others outside of the state. The mascots may sometimes seem trivial, but are a source of pride for delegations that they represent.
As the newest of symbols at CONA, the ‘superhero’ was unveiled even to the Floridians just last Saturday. Calling people ‘superhero’ had been a running joke in the delegation, and with Presiding Officer Derek Summerville being from Florida, it all seemed to fit. Florida delegates can sometimes be seen in cape and bandana.
The delegation from New York is also notable for their lobster. A favorite last year, they forgot to bring it this session. Taking its place instead is Justice the Duck. Dressed as the Statue of Liberty and bearing a gavel on his wing, he is a symbol of the state’s strong judicial program.
Another well know mascot is that of Minnesota, Swany The Swan. A literal plastic swan, it was given as a gag gift to Orville Lindquist, Minnesota Advisor. “After sitting in the closet for 10 years, we brought it along to the national affairs retreat on year,” Lindquist said. “After that it just became part of us.” Swany was the victim of an infamous kidnapping at CONA 2007, but was recovered after a few days with a ‘negotiated surrender.’
For years now, Alabama t-shirts have featured Bob McGaughey in some way. McGaughey, conference director, is a native of Alabama and advisor to the state delegation. This year’s features a graphic of McGaughey as Bob the Builder, building Alabama’s families.
There is perhaps no symbol more strongly associated with a state delegation than Wisconsin and the Cow, a symbol of Wisconsin’s dominance in dairy. No one knows how long it has existed, however Dave Wyeth, advisor and CONA alumnus, said it was already well-established in his day, the 1996 conference. It has been the subject of intense rivalries and elaborate schemes to both protect and steal it. “The goal is either to abscond with the cow or to deflate the cow,” Wyeth said. When asked of the fate of the cow in his year, Wyeth said, “it didn’t make it.” The cow recently made its 2008 debut Sunday night and at the Monday morning picture.
Few things draw more pride from a delegation than a mascot. Whether old or new, obvious or unusual, all get the same esteem. Perhaps inevitably, there is also no greater target for delegation rivalries.

Proposal Writing Tips

2008-07-05T17:44:00.000-07:00

Although many delegates make it look very easy, proposal writing consists of a lot of preparation along with critical and logical thinking. Debating is something that improves with experience; however, there are many steps delegates can take to improve their style.
It all begins with choosing the right proposal. A huge part of moving on to General Assembly or Plenary is how one presents his proposal; however, choosing the right proposal facilitates presenting and defending it. David Murdter, California, gave many great tips for proposals. Murdter made his breakthrough at last year’s General Assembly where he successfully proved all of his adversaries wrong in his summation. He said to choose an obscure proposal. When speaking about his proposal this year, Murdter said, “When I first read the research, it caught me unaware.” Newer ideas will spark more new debates; therefore, a newer topic will score better. The second step after choosing a proposal is researching it. “I become as knowledgeable as I can,” Murdter said. The best way to prepare your argument is not only to dissect all the points, but to also write down a list of counter-arguments. This way, the delegate is prepared for any possible con-speakers.
While pro-con debate occurs, it would be beneficial for the delegate to keep a list of arguments in favor of his proposal for the summation. Jordan Smith, North Carolina, said “Keeping statistics is the best way to prove points, although dramatic stories can sometimes move people.” The summation is the icing on the cake to a proposal. Keeping the summation to the point finishes the debate very well. The best way to keep a proposal going is to know it inside and out. If it is very original, debatable, and presented well, then it has a lot of potential. If the delegate just stays well-informed and debates well in committee, he or she can make it through to Plenary.

Team Eliminate Electoral College by Logan Finucan, Cyrus Goudarzi

2008-07-05T17:43:00.000-07:00

CONA 2008’s largest combined proposal met a grim fate Monday as it failed to make the cut to Second Committee. The diverse group of seven delegates, ranging from New Jersey to Missouri to South Carolina, independently came to the same conclusion and drafted proposals to eliminate the Electoral College American Presidential elections. “We all had basically the exact same proposal,” Sean Costello, an author from Massachusetts, said. They were united in their belief that the Electoral College be replaced by a simple popular vote. “I’ve never been a fan [of the Electoral Collge],” Siofra Robinson, author from North Carolina said. “I couldn’t count the number of people on one hand that support it.”
All of the authors were understandably disappointed that their proposal did not make it further. They all agreed that they did most poorly on their originality rating, just by virtue of their being seven of the same proposals, in addition to debatability. Also critical was the proposal’s placement on the docket, dead last. “By the time ours was up for debate, people were sick of Electoral College proposals,” explains Courtney Arnold of South Carolina. “[By the end] voting gets meaner.”
What makes this defeat surprising, however, is the situation that arose just two years ago. In that session, seven delegates, including current PO Derek Summerville, combined to create the same proposal for eliminating the Electoral College. This nearly identical situation and proposal passed Washburn General Assembly. Ten years before, the advisor to Derek Summerville created the same proposal with ten other delegates and also went to General Assembly. Even in this session, two other proposals for eliminating the Electoral College who did not combine with the other seven advanced.
Summerville expressed surprise at the early death of this proposal, especially because of the large number of authors. “Usually the opposite happens,” Summerville said. “Often those who stay out of that alliance get left behind. They probably would have gone to Plenary or GA if they had combined.”
Despite the disappointment, all the authors were enthusiastic about the experience. “It was really great,” Costello said. More than anything, they were all glad to have the opportunity to work with and get to know one another. “We were all really diverse and learned about each other’s cultures,” Morgan Jordan of Tennessee said. “I know I wouldn’t have bonded with as many others as I did if we didn’t all combine and work together.”
The failing of this proposal displays just how influential and unpredictable combining can be. Although many times combing can advance a proposal’s prospects, it can just as easily bring it down. Although a proposal’s failure can bring frustration, combining always brings the opportunity for new experiences and new friendships.

Where it all began by Darryl Tibbs

2008-07-05T17:41:00.000-07:00

Wednesday’s break time consisted of rest, relaxation, swimming, basketball, the belly flop contest, but more importantly a reenactment of how this country fought for its independence. The difference between the real battle and yesterday’s activity is: instead of using guns and swords, water guns and water-balloons were the weapons. In times of real war, we all know that can be a painful time; that aspect remained, as felt by this reporter. There was clean fun that gave us all a chance to relax before we were to return to General Assembly. We also didn’t know that a lesson in history could be so much fun.

History of Blue Ridge

2008-07-03T06:55:00.000-07:00

When looking at the map the conference so generously provided, one may notice the various and seemingly random names of the buildings that make up this conference center. Cottages and halls with names such as Rhododendron, Dogwood, and Abbott are scattered across the facility. Jason Sutphin, the Housekeeping Director for the past three years, is a living book of history about the Blue Ridge Assembly, and was kind enough to bestow some of his wealth of knowledge upon us.
Most of the small cottages were named after colleges from across the nation. Meredith, Mississippi, Ward Belmont, and Agnes-Scott Cottages were all named after colleges that were all girl at the time when their cottages were built. Built during the 1930s and 1940s, these cottages were used for the retreats the colleges sponsored. At this point, however, the cottages are no longer being used by the colleges who they are named after. Sutphin said that the colleges made a deal with Blue Ridge: The cottages are available for their use for a certain number of years and then they are turned over to the Assembly for them to use. Clemson, Auburn, Georgia, Kentucky, Virginia Polytechnic Institute (now known as Virginia Tech), Converse, Florida, and Miami Cottages were built using the funds provided by the respective schools, and as a result, the cottages were named after them.
Rondette Cottage, located southwest of Lee Hall, got its name from its unique architecture. The name “Rondette” is the title for the type of building. The style in which the cottage was built was very popular in the 1970s because of its ability to be easily transported up mountains. Sutphin said that the cottage was transported in its entirety up Black Mountain. It is one of the smallest cottages in the Assembly and the only circular cottage on the grounds.
Two cottages located on the grounds are named after regionally popular fauna. Dogwood trees are scattered throughout the beautiful, mountainous landscape surrounding Blue Ridge. A prime example of these striking trees can be observed from the porch of Abbott Hall. However, Dogwood Cottage is located southeast of Abbott Hall in between Meredith and Converse Cottages. Even though it’s a mouthful, Rhododendron Cottage is the epitome of beauty, as it rests nestled in the collection of trees and other cottages southeast of Lee Hall. Its interesting and somewhat different title comes from the abundance of a certain laurel-family fauna in the area. The Rhododendron bush has so captivated people who live around it that Blue Ridge felt necessary to name this beautiful cottage after it.
Other cottages around the Assembly are named after those who were generous enough to contribute to the efforts that the Blue Ridge Assembly works constantly on. Ward Belmont Cottage, along with Ware Pavilion, were named after families who donated money to YMCA or the Blue Ridge Assembly and, as a result, had the honor of having one of the beautiful cottages at this center named after them.
Parker Cottage was actually named after a security guard who lived here for a number of years and who dedicated a huge part of his life to helping Blue Ridge.
A majority of the halls located around Blue Ridge Assembly are named in honor of specific individuals who contributed their skills, intelligence, and service to Blue Ridge Assembly. Lee Hall was not only named after Robert E. Lee, but Jason Sutphin tells us that it was named after him to honor his morals and his beliefs about education. Sutphin also tells us that Asheville Hall was named in honor of the nearby town that has for years had a huge involvement in the support of the Assembly. Weatherford, Abbott, and Heaton Halls were named after Dr. Willis Duke Weatherford, Mr. Abbott, and Mr. Heaton, three extremely influential and important men whose contributions were both exponential and irreplaceable. One may be able to see the physical beauty of the various cottages, halls, centers, and pavilions, but what makes these buildings even more beautiful is the history behind them that lies unknown to most. Again a special thanks goes out to Jason Sutphin, without whom this article would have been exceptionally more difficult and not nearly as thorough.

Boycott Olympics Part 2

2008-07-01T09:20:00.000-07:00

As we follow our fellow delegate, Eric Kunkel, he has successfully driven his proposal through 1^st and 2^nd committees and is currently stating his case in a 3^rd committee in hopes that his constituents will rank it worthy of more debate in General Assembly. Here is some footage from his 2^nd committee presentation.

Monday Night Devotional

2008-07-01T07:52:00.001-07:00

3rd Committee Proposals

2008-07-01T07:50:00.001-07:00

Proposal	Author	Title

61	Eric Kunkel - Minnesota	To Boycott the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics
65	Benjamin Ulrey - California	Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) adoption rights
326	Christopher Dorman - Minnesota	Eliminate the Federal Governments control on public k-12 Education.
151	Tim DeGennaro - Connecticut	Abolishing all International Adoption
277	Nicole Tortoriello - New Jersey	To gradually eliminate tobacco products from American society & economy
295/057/099/150	Alexis Morin - Massachusetts	To abolish the federal recognition of state granted marriages and instead recognize only state granted civil unions offered equally to heterosexual and homosexual couples.
295/057/099/150	Alex Dunn - Wisconsin
295/057/099/150	Alex Castillo - California
295/057/099/150	Sam Sachs - Delaware
7	Azzam Merchant - California	To place a cap on the United States defense budget
138	Neel Mehta - South Carolina	Global Disarmament of Nuclear Weapons through a Drastic Change in U.S. Foreign Policy
169/201	Erin O'Brien - Minnesota	To amend the United States constitution to include a right of parents to direct the upbringing and education of their children.
169/201	Lexi Gibson - Texas
197	Jordan Lee - Texas	Lengthening the Statute of Limitations for Crimes against Minors
394	Will Clayton - Alabama	To require persons wishing to immigrate to the United States to take English classes.
458	Ian Hanchett - Florida	Allowing the carrying of firearms on college campuses
311	Sadhna Gupta - Massachusetts	Repeal the 1976 Hyde Amendment which prevents women from receiving federal insurance coverage for abortions
322	Zach Burnett - Kentucky	A proposal to revise the No Child Left Behind Act to include mandatory preschool attendance before kindergarten and replace states’ individual standardized tests currently used as the assessments to determine eligibility for federal funding with a nationa
417	Hope Richardson - North Carolina	To legalize monetary compensation for cadaverous organs.
89	Kyun Saiidnia - California	Abolishing Megan's Law
240	Andrew Grimes - Oklahoma	Mandating that all mothers applying for/receiving government-funded family aid must be on a physician-prescribed form of birth control.
320	Alex Oliva - Kentucky	An act to cap damages awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits to lower the cost of healthcare.
55	Jill Nolke - California	To grant men the ability to sign away their legal and financial responsibilities to an unborn child if the mother refuses to have an abortion.
283/341/412	Sarah Gerth - New Jersey	Repeal No Child Left Behind in favor of a program that retains state-based curriculum and assessments up for national review, but does not punish poorly performing schools.
283/341/412	Zachary Parker - Georgia
283/341/412	Megan Cagney - Missouri
362	Josh Mayer - Michigan	A proposal to mandate and that all residents of the United States have health care coverage.

64	David Murdter - California	A proposal to mandate neonatal circumcision for male babies born in the United States.
290/217/296/241	Austin Elder - Missouri
290/217/296/241	Andrew Budnick - Massachusetts
290/217/296/241	Cale Curtin - Oklahoma
403	Phil Gardner - Washington	To institute a national Vote-by-Mail program
463	Gabriel Neustadt - Florida	Implementation of a War Tax to fund Current Military Operations in Iraq.
121	Dan Beneventano - Pennsylvania	To create better protective measures and restrictions for materials that could be used by states or non-state actors to produce chemical or biological warfare agents.
355	Josh Travis - Missouri	A PROPOSAL, TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
423	Michael Heelan - North Carolina	Redefining the parameters of Executive Privilege
110/20/141	Tracey Stevenson - Arizona	Abolishing Affirmative Action From College Admissions
110/20/141	Jenn Cilingin - Model UN
110/20/141	Marshall Terry - South Carolina
378/098	Ben Brelje - Michigan	Reinstating a presidential line-item veto through a constitutional amendment.
378/098	Caroline Kitchens - Wisconsin
401	Feras Ahmed - Florida	Restructuring US foreign aid policy, by instituting a 1% increase to foreign aid apportionment from the federal budget, and to refocus aid efforts by re-evaluating the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, in order to develop strong sustainable economies in the
14	Ryan Cho - California	The Banning of the SAT Reasoning Test as a Requirement for College Admissions
353	Giancarlo Lookman - North Carolina	Eliminating restrictions on tobacco advertisements
444	Patrick WIlkinson - Tennessee	Maintaining Network Neutrality
46	AJ Blumenfeld - California	Allowing suffrage for employed, income-tax paying minors.
431/482	Joshua Garcia - New Mexico	Offer incentives for inmates to donate organs in order to meet the demands of transplantation.
431/482	Vanessa Blanco - Washington D.C.
450	Angelie Vasquez - Florida	A proposal to increase the available international food supply and biodiversity through the strengthening of grassroots agriculture worldwide.
113	James Baumer - Arizona	Eliminating immigration quotas as a determining method for entry and residence into the United States.
203	Austin Pruitt - Texas	Post Office Privatization Act
309	Paul DiBlasi - Massachusetts	Proposal to gradually end any government spending program that provides unique benefits or advantages to specific companies to the detriment of competitors, also known as corporate welfare.
31	Brooks Kinch - Model UN	Enacting a constitutional amendment to decrease the ease with which certain taxes are raised by Congress.
281/455	Rachel Burns - New Jersey	United States Aid to Darfur
281/455	Maygan Rollins - Florida
429	Ari Shroyer - Ohio	Illegal aliens convicted of crimes should be sent immediately to their nation of origin after serving their sentence; if the nation of origin does not accept the criminal alien, visas from that nation and/or foreign aid from the United States shall be sev
194	Daniel Connors - Alabama	Upgrade the air traffic control system to meet the increased needs of air travel.

317	Michael Stein - Tennessee	A bill to establish the Federal Emergency Management Agency(FEMA) as an independent agency
213	James Garner - Oklahoma	A ban on armed force protests and armed force ceremony protests.
310	Ryan Thompson - Massachusetts	To discontinue the planned North American Union.
40	Olaniyi Solebo - Model UN	To enact an amendment to the United States Constitution entitled the “Equal Rights Amendment” or the 28th Amendment.
332/076/256	Joe Gipson - Louisiana	Introduce the Option of Private Social Security Accounts
332/076/256	Kate Dailey - Kentucky
332/076/256	Craig Belisle - Minnesota
426	Sara Beth Hennessey - Louisiana	Legalization of Stem Cell research from un-banked cord blood or abortions.
331	Tyler Hess - Kentucky	A proposal to increase the use of desalination.
374	Joshua Ditton - Michigan	A proposal to create and nationalize renewable energy in the United States of America.
375/302	Jennifer Smith - Michigan	A proposal for the Federal Government to legalize prostitution in all fifty American states and controlled territories.
375/302	James Ivker - Massachusetts
56	Meghna Dholakia - California	The addition of females to the Selective Service System--and the expansion of the S.S 's power.
111	Marjan Charness - Arizona	Banning random drug testing in public and private schools.
418	Annie Re - Model UN	“No Take Zone” Amendment to Magnuson Stevenson Fishery Act
308	Michael Murphy - Massachusetts	Mandatory Military Service for those who fail to procure a high school diploma, General Educational Development Credential (GED) or proof of current enrollment at the age of nineteen.
357/347/148/342	Elizabeth Hagedorn - Missouri	Implementation of a Cap and Trade Program to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
357/347/148/342	Devon Minerve - Washington D.C.
357/347/148/342	Alexandria Barnes - Ohio
357/347/148/342	Megan Hynes - New York
416	Jeslyn Jones - Alabama	Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients
130	Eeshwar Chandrasekar - S C	Reforming Social Security
248/088	Kelly Close - Pennsylvania	Eliminating Don't Ask, Don't Tell
248/088	Monica Medina - Connecticut
280	Chris Meadows - Tennessee	To ban Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) from receiving federal funding
125/413/245	Jonathan Hill - Pennsylvania	To mandate the consolidation of national gasoline fuel blends to allow one fuel blend (California state standard), increasing efficiency of fuel production, and decreasing the complexity of refinement.
125/413/245	James Mills - Connecticut
125/413/245	Basia Michalski - Missouri
222	Eric Smith - Texas	Reformation of eminent domain law to exclude non-government contracted commercial development as an exercise of “public use” and to carefully regulate government seizure for nonessential developments.
381/227	Brooke Baldwin - North Carolina	To make all forms of abortion illegal in the US except in the case that the pregnacy puts the mother's life in immediate danger.
381/227	Matthew Roberts - Texas

290/217/296/241	Lane Feler - Tennessee	Allowing drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in 1002 Area
318	Roger Chu - Tennessee	Adopting the Responsibility to Protect Doctrine
445	Tucker Piner - North Carolina	Curtailment of Earmarks in the legislature
182	Timmy Clark - Texas	Disbanding and disallowing political parties to be organized at the federal level.
231	Roscoe Anderson - Alabama	Psychotropic Drug Regulation
333	Grafton Sizemore - Kentucky	An act to require the gradual reduction of US forces in Iraq leaving a limited number of troops to assist the Iraqi government until it is stable.
090/129	Samantha Free - Connecticut	United States withdrawl from the United Nations Treaty
090/129	Grace Beaty - South Carolina
102	Troy Tauber - Wisconsin	A proposal to ban the Confederate Flag (The Battle Flag of the Confederacy) in all public places and to ban the confederate flag from being issued by any government departments.
117	Richael O'Hagan - Wisconsin	Require the Constitutional Convention to reconvene every twenty years
66	Cyrus Haghighian - California	This proposal will grant presidential electors to United States unincorporated territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
156	Ben Lee - Kentucky	To Provide Every Student and Teacher in Public Schools Across the Nation the Opportunity of Spiritual and/or Mental Meditation Every School Day
377/224	Isaac Veysey-White - Michigan	A proposal to ban the import of foreign oil completely and unconditionally by the year 2030, as well as to allocate funds for the research and production of alternative fuel sources.
377/224	Eva Zitterkob - Oklahoma
135	Max Lasser - South Carolina	A proposal to change the legislative branch of the United States government to a unicameral system.
137	Andrew Margalit - South Carolina	The Creation of a North American defense community
288/131/415	Katie Bell - Alabama	To Repeal the Ethanol Mandate
288/131/415	Chris Newsome - Massachusetts
288/131/415	Jordan Floyd - South Carolina
49	Emily Rozema - California	Mandating that public schools give maternity leave to students.
115	Neha Parthasarathy - South Carolina	Work with the United Nations to enact an international arms embargo against Zimbabwe, in light of recent human rights violations.
298	Durim Hyseni - Massachusetts	To repeal Amendment Twelve (XII) of the United States Constitution. The candida+\te with the second largest number of electoral votes and at least thirty-five-percent (35%) of the popular vote, would be made vice-president.
60	Emily Michael - California	Teaching Intelligent Design Theory in Public High Schools alongside Evolution.
185	Dylan Chapp - Delaware	Proposal for an amendment requiring unanimous consensus for declarations of war.
460	Tim Johnson - Florida	An act to Ensure the Gradual, Peaceful Reunification of Korea

CONA Connections by Logan Finucan, Sarah McCloure

2008-07-01T07:29:00.000-07:00

One of the most surprising things about Blue Ridge Conference Center to new visitors is the international students that staff many of the facilities. Young people from around the world come here to the Blue Ridge Conference Center to work for the YMCA. The countries represented at this conference as staff are: Belarus, Brazil, Burkina Faso, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Germany, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Russia, Rwanda, Slovenia, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine, United States of America, and Vietnam. They fill a variety of roles, usually in food service and housekeeping. Coming from all over the world, the international employees bring their own unique perspectives and backgrounds, but they are all happy to be here and experience and different country and culture.

One of the newest workers here is Jelena Roksandic, a native of Slovenia who arrived just last week. Unlike many of the other workers, who are in their teens, Jelena is older, coming here after college through Camp Counselors USA, an agency that has placed many of the workers at Blue Ridge. “I think I joined the program a little late,” Roksandic said. “I’m 23.” Still she is enjoying the experience of being in America. “Everything is so big! It still shocks you,” Roksandic said.

Also hailing from Europe is 18-year-old Cynthia Willemse. Willemse arrived five weeks ago from the Netherlands, and she works in the Blue Ridge Center in the food service. “Sometimes it gets boring, because every time it is the same thing”, Willemse said. They pay less in the Netherlands, though. She has been impressed by the people she has met. People are more open here. Willemse is staying here at Blue Ridge until August.

Edward Munyeshuli is working for his second summer at Blue Ridge from the country of Rwanda. Munyeshuli described that his favorite part of The United States of America is the beautiful environment and the group of people. Unlike most other international staffers, Munyeshuli works at Blue Ridge through his school. He is currently attending Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, and he has worked here for the past two summers in order to gain work experience and improve his English.

Vicky Hsu is a second year employee this summer from Taiwan. She was an employee here in 2006, and when she got the opportunity to come back through Camp Counselors USA, she took it. Blue Ridge is very convenient because the meals, dorms, and internet are all provided for the international employees.

Jhon Giraldo is from Colombia as a first year employee hired through the International Camp Counselor Program, run by the YMCA. Giraldo did not choose Blue Ridge as his employer, but his program placed him here. However, he loves meeting the diverse group of people working here. Giraldo indicated that some things in the culture are very different, but others not so different. One thing difference is the weather because it is warmer and more humid here. Also, for many of the Colombians as well as Giraldo the custom of saying hello is different. They hug and kiss on the cheek, but here a simple hand shake works.

Lisamel Tapia is a third year employee from the Dominican Republic. During her first year Tapia came through Camp Counselors USA, but for her second and third year she has come through the YMCA. She said she loves the staff that comes from everywhere. Tapia enjoys meeting new people and this job gives her that opportunity. She also likes that others teach her their own customs and languages on breaks and after work.

Igor Pogorelo is a first year from Ukraine. He has been here since June and plans to stay through the end of the summer. He came to the USA to improve his English and learn more. Porgorelo said that it is very different here but he enjoys it. He came through Camp Counselors USA to this job.

Anna Kandiuk is also a first year on the Mountain from Ukraine. She enjoys having fellow Ukrainians working on the Blue Ridge staff. She also said that the people here are friendlier and more willing to help the ones from out of the country. Kandiuk is studying to become an English teacher in Ukraine, so she is using this experience to help her improve her speaking skills. Her main obstacle was the different food because in Ukraine they eat soup almost every day, but in the United States she has only had soup once.

Reporting from Blue Ridge

2008-07-01T07:05:00.000-07:00

O the bugle, the best alarm clock in the whole world! It was slightly easier and slightly harder to get up this morning. Easier because I knew what great things to expect, harder because I was so sore from all the work, and climbing, I did the day before. I rolled out of bed a went to morning meditation with Bob, the Conference Director, which was very relaxing, a nice change of pace from the intense debate the day before. Breakfast had a southern feel with biscuit 'n gravy and grits. After our delegation meetings, we all met on the Lee Hall steps for our conference picture. Doing the wave added a fun twist to this slightly mundane tradition. First Committee Hearing groups were finished slightly before our lunch of sweet and sour meatballs, BBQ chicken, and macaroni salad. The slight break was much appreciated but the seriousness of the conference was quickly remembered once delegates found out who made it to second committee. Those proposals in Second Committee were debated until dinner and were debated again until devotional.

~The Ridge Writer

Protection from AIDS by Cassie Van Gompel

2008-07-01T06:29:00.001-07:00

As usual, CONA proposals don't disappoint. They are always pushing the envelope and pushing some of us out of our comfort zones, and one proposal does just that. Proposal No. 64, a proposal to mandate neonatal circumcision for male babies born in the United States, by David Murdter from California, led to much controversy in the chambers. Murdter's critics asserted that 43 percent of parents willingly decline circumcision and should not be forced to make their children have this surgery. They also state that the government is trying to "be a better parent than the biological parent." The pro speakers of this bill assert that it would lower the rate of herpes by 25 percent, would lower the rate of uroloical cancer, and would lower the rate of contracting HIV by 50 to 70 percent. They also argued that its effects were like that of a vaccine, lowering the transmission of a disease, but with much lower complication rates, the circumcision complication rate is .2 percent and the complication rate of the flu is 5 percent. Murdter's facts are supported by International Herald Tribune and the Center for Disease Control.

No-lympics? by Daron Vaught

2008-06-30T17:18:00.000-07:00

Even though a reporter does not have the privilege of taking a direct part in the debating and sharing of ideas that goes on at CONA, it helps to know as much as possible about what he or she reporting. I took an extensive “peek” through all of the conference’s proposals, making note of my favorites. Now, I didn’t necessarily agree with some of them, but I may have enjoyed the innovative thought that was apparently put into a particular submission. I managed to narrow it all down to one, however, and I would like to share with you what I saw as the most intriguing and interesting proposal submitted. I will follow this proposal and its author throughout the legislative process and will keep you updated on its progress.

In 2001, the International Olympic Committee granted the city of Beijing, China the privilege of hosting the Summer Olympic Games. This, of course, was under the impression that the Republic of China would enhance the freedoms and right of its people. With the 2008 games approaching, Beijing is set to host and no apparent changes have been made in the city’s human rights policies, leaving one Eric Kunkel to be very distraught. Kunkel, a three year CONA veteran from Minnesota, proposes that the United States make sure that the people of China have justice. He proposes that the United States boycott the 2008 Summer Olympics.

I don’t believe that there are many flaws to this motion, as history tends to repeat itself. Allow me to explain. The Olympic Games have been somewhat notorious for playing host to groundbreaking political statements and have induced the rise of many of the world’s most outspoken heroes. From Jesse Owens single-handedly defeating the Third Reich to President Ronald Reagan catalyzing peace in South Korea (which was also done by way of boycott), the Olympics have been proven to be the stage to some of the United States’ most gratifying moments.

However, fellow delegates pointed out that the stipulations of this proposal would be terribly detrimental to the athletes who plan to compete in the Games. “These athletes spend their whole lives trying to get here, and this may be there only chance to compete in the Olympics,” Alex Oliva of Kentucky stated in his con statement. “It is a great idea, but I think that maybe there is another way we could do it.” Kunkel responded to these comments, concluding that “we may be ripping away dreams of thousands of athletes, but if we do not move this proposal forward (through General Assembly) we’ll be allowing others to rip away lives of millions.”

CONA Mixer Part 1

2008-06-30T16:12:00.001-07:00

CONA Mixer Part 2

2008-06-30T16:11:00.000-07:00

A Few Too Many

2008-06-30T13:29:00.001-07:00

Top Ten Weirdest Proposals by Jessica Ayers

2008-06-30T10:18:00.000-07:00

10. Be Safe, Castrate- Castration for level three sex offenders (Mojica, 303)

9. Quail Hunter- Impeaching George W. Bush and Dick Cheney (Bowers, 22)

8. Dumpster Diving- Disposal of Spent Batteries and Accumulators (Boutin, 313)

7. Make Sure Big Brothers Not Watching- Banning all use of microchip implantation in humans, voluntary or involuntary (Couch, 319)

6. Baby Daddies- To grant men the ability to sign their legal and financial responsibilities to an unborn child if the mother refuses to get an abortion.

5. Shrinkin’ Lincoln- Changing the size of paper money (Walker, 183)

4. Cigarettes for Kidneys- Offer incentives for inmates to donate organs in order to meet the demands of transplantation (Garcia, 431)

3. Less Junk Out of a Different Trunk- Post Office Privatization Act (Pruitt, 203)

2. Dismantling the Deer Dump- Banning the disposal of deer carcasses in landfills and promoting the composting of deer carcasses as an environmentally responsible alternative (Burns, 41)

1. Dear Jon, I Hope you have E-mail- The elimination of “snail-mail” (Davis, 75)

It all starts with the T off by Nicole Geier

2008-06-30T10:15:00.000-07:00

Every year most delegations brainstorm ideas for their states’ shirt. This year’s state shirts were extremely creative, and a few shirts stood out from the others. Some delegations wore their state’s conference shirt and most states designed shirts with either a person or theme in mind.

The Family of Alabama’s shirt was designed with conference director Bob McGauhey in mind. Every year the Family designs their shirt in honor of Bob’s love and hard work. This year Alabama chose a Bob the Builder theme featuring McGauhey building the family of Alabama and making it strong.

CONA may need some fixing up after Oklahoma passes through! Oklahoma’s shirt claim “Taking CONA By Storm”, paying tribute to their home the epicenter of “Tornado Alley”.

Florida’s superheroes are here to save the day! Their state advisers love themes, and this year they surprised their delegation with superheroes. Lindsay Smith, Florida, says.

“We have many different talents. We are like superheroes because we have fun, but we get the work done.”

If you see people in capes and headbands do not run away, they are here from Florida to save the day.

Everyone loves a fiesta, and New Mexico is no different, as is reflected on their state shirt. The front of the shirt is a dancing taco, and the quote “Respect The Taco, Fear The Taco” on the back.

What other shenanigans could Minnesota get into? Maybe design a shirt influenced by the movie Juno. Minnesota chose Juno because it was written and staged in their state. With a green rocking chair on the front and tiny running boys on the back, this shirt is as quirky as the movie.

As we all know Delaware is a small state, which is implied by their state’s shirt. They are so tight they only need one area code (302).

California’s advisers love to surprise their delegates. So the state shirt was no different. Recently California allowed same sex marriage, so in honor of the law their shirt is pink with “love” written at the bottom in rainbow colors.

Since this year’s shirts were very creative, next year’s shirts should be even better.

The Descendent by Jermaine Richardson

2008-06-30T08:05:00.000-07:00

Ari Shroyer, Ohio is currently doing a proposal on illegal aliens that are convicted of a crime (in which they are sent back to their nation of origin after their sentence is served). "I am supporting aliens being sent back to their original country so people please don't think otherwise". Shroyer said why he chose this topic is because he knows a lot of aliens at home and is also a descendant of some Jewish aliens fleeing Nazi prosecution. From an experience, he understands how important the legal process is. He also believes the naturalization process should be easy and accessible to all people wanting to bring not only their knowledge but their culture and dreams as well into the United States of America.

Reporting From Blue Ridge

2008-06-30T06:45:00.001-07:00

I knew when I woke up to the sound of trumpets blaring this would be unlike any other day. After the little sleep I got on the bus it was almost impossible for me to roll out of bed, but I found myself at the worship service. The morning was spent singing and reflecting on what each of us could get out of this experience, it was a nice way to start the week. I spent the remainder of my morning on the porch talking to fellow delegates from other states. It was amazing that even with such different "accents" we all seemed to find some common ground. I found my way to the Blue Ridge Center (BRC) for lunch were I was surprised to find a Mexican spread in the middle of North Carolina. Shortly after lunch the whole CONA assembly headed for the Amphitheater for our Opening Ceremony. The ceremony started with a the procession of the flags and was emceed by Presiding Officer (PO) Laura Bolen. Each of our PO's gave compelling speeches of what CONA meant to them and briefly went over everyday rules and regulations.The other five PO's consist of Danielle Desaulniers, Emily Pramik, Victoria Romano, Derek Summerville, and Brian Tinsman. Once dismissed from Opening Ceremony we were sent to Proposal Sharing Groups to gather constructive criticism and then went to First Committee. We took a short break for our Italian supper. First Committee Hearings reconvened until the mixer. The mixer was hosted by the Florida Delegation and consisted of dancing and unique card matching activities. The mixer ended with a thoughtful devotional by the Massachusetts and the night ended with delegation meetings.

~The Ridge Writer

CONA 2008 Opening Ceremony

2008-06-29T13:58:00.001-07:00

The CONA Blog

2008-06-29T13:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome fellow CONA goers,

This is the 2008 edition of the CONA blog. This blog is run and managed by the Press Corps. This blog will feature photos, videos, comments, articles, and almost everything in between. We are open to any suggestions or ideas for posts. Please email us at CONApress@gmail.com with your own personal experiences, photos, or videos of your time on the mountain. This is a work in progress and we appreciate any new ideas.

Hope you enjoy!