Staff Report
DRIPPING SPRINGS Lizzie Galassini, senior at Dripping Springs High School (DSHS), will be heading to the capital in January for the UIL State Congress Meet.
DSHS is one of two 5A schools to advance all competitors to the regional finals. Galassini earned first place at the UIL Region 13 Congress Tournament, securing her spot at the state meet that will be held Jan. 11 and Jan. 12 in Austin.
The individual contest, organized in a large group setting, models the legislative process of the U.S. Congress. In the mock legislative assembly competition, contestants draft legislation submitted to the tournament and research the docket of bills and resolutions with real-world social and political policies before the contest to prepare their speeches. At the tournament, students caucus in committees, deliver formal discourse on the merits and disadvantages of each piece of legislation and vote to pass or defeat the measures they have examined.
Some debate topics include tuition-free college, increasing natural gas sales to Germany, banning gifted and talented programs, paying inmates fairly for their work and creating special Visas for at-risk Afghans.
