Story by Ethan Paul, Wayzata and Shyla Henson, Hastings; Edited by Lale Akkin, Mounds View; Illustration by Shyla Henson, Hastings
As someone who has been in a legislative program area, one of the major stressors for delegates who have written a bill is the presentation of it. For first timers, arguing their bill in front of other delegates can seem terrifying.
Delegates should practice their bill by reading it outloud to their friends, family, teachers, and even in front of their mirror. Practicing major points of the bill will not only give the audience a better understanding of the bill but also give the author some confidence and ease of mind. However, memorizing an exact script can be problematic if the author forgets the exact sentence, so having a general idea of every topic to cover is enough.
Having passion for the bill is another core part that enhances the presentation. This causes people to convey strong emotions and invoke those strong feelings into the audience. Trying to look at the audience often throughout the bill will also help enforce that passion in the eyes of the audience. Hesitance when speaking will likely make other delegates hesitant to pass the bill.
Another major tip for bill presenting is to project confidence. The more nervous someone seems while presenting, the harder it will be to get their point across. Acting confident can also make one feel more confident, lowering the amount of mistakes they make. Making mistakes is okay, but they can negatively reflect on the bill if they happen often and if the speaker cannot fix them through confidence. Confidently presenting and speaking on a bill will allow people to take the bill more seriously, even if small mistakes occur. Confidently speaking will also reflect on the author, making them seem more passionate about their bill.
Authors should also not let debaters challenging their bill discourage them. Delegates have been taught about respectful debating, and generally keep that in mind when debating others’ bills. If one finds a debate getting heated, they should take a moment to breathe and calm down. Points cannot get across when a debate turns into an argument. A kind debate is a good debate.
In general, practice and confidence will help one majorly. These radiate on to their bill, making other delegates more confident in the bill as well. Delegates should also make sure they are debating one anothers’ bills respectfully and with kindness, but not getting intimidated if a deeper debate starts.