The Harvard Model Congress 2016, held in Boston, USA, concluded on Tuesday, 23 February 2016.

Official commencement of the Harvard Model Congress 2016

The Learning Lab student delegates at HMC 2016

The four-day conference gave our students a chance to experience first-hand the inner workings of the US political system. They had an eye-opening time, learnt valuable lessons about the world and, more importantly, about themselves.

Award of Excellence in Media – Serene Peh

Serene Peh, presented with the Award of Excellence.

Serene Peh was presented with one of only three Awards of Excellence in Media for her stellar performance as an outstanding contributor. As part of the Media contingent, Serene’s role was to attend, and write press releases on, the different talks held during the simulated discussions. You can read her article, and the articles of the other Media Committee Delegates, here.

Congratulations Serene!

Other Event Highlights

Of course, there were also other highlights during the week-long trip!

From casual lunches,

The team having their first lunch together at 5 Napkins Burger

… to exploring various Boston landmarks!

Exploring the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Pretending to be an orchestra at MIT’s auditorium

Our delegates had a great time, and we are certainly very proud of their achievements at the HMC 2016!

Opportunities are endless at The Learning Lab.

Discover more about our secondary school programs this Sunday, 28 February. Register Now.

Here’s what some of our students have to say about their journey.

What was your biggest takeaway from this experience?

“From attending TLL preparation trainings to attending the actual HMC conference itself, I would say that my biggest takeaway from this experience is learning so much more about the American political system. We don’t just debate about it; we actually assume the roles of certain political figures, attend party caucuses (Republicans versus Democrats) and further immerse ourselves in our roles, and even attended Supreme Court hearings where we interviewed political actors (Judiciary Council). Such political simulations certainly helped to enhance my understanding of the American political system!” – Sarah Choong

 How did the training sessions provided by TLL help prepare you for the HMC?

“I read through materials and wrote speeches, all under the guidance of the teachers. The training sessions were extremely useful, teaching me how to improve on both my content and speaking skills. The takeaways from these sessions really helped me during HMC discussions, where both the structural integrity of my ideas and my speaking ability were put to the test.” – Oliver Huang

 How do you think this experience will help you in your plans for the future?

“I think that the HMC has really broadened my world view and exposed me to new ideas. Lessons I’ve learnt from this experience will certainly benefit me in the future. With an increased knowledge of global affairs and politics, I will be able to keep up-to-date with the news and remain in touch with the rest of the world. The public speaking skills I’ve gained from this experience will give me the confidence and ability to persuasively put forth my ideas in the future.” – Ang Jun Yang

Find out more about our programmes.