Delegate Dos and Don’ts: 10 Ways to Make the Most of Children’s Congress

Smile, sing, and watch out for slippery meatballs.

 

 

 By Jonathan Platt
(nine years old, California)

Wow, time flies—Children’s Congress is less than five weeks away! I know from experience that when the delegates and their families actually get to the capital on July 8, time will fly even faster. And in all the excitement, it can be pretty easy to forget some important things. So I have a special message for the delegates—a few tips I learned when I was a delegate at Children’s Congress 2011. I hope this will help you be the most effective delegate you can be (and have the most fun, too).

1. Do try to get as many delegate signatures in your Children’s Congress yearbook as you can.
2. Don’t forget to smile and thank each Member of Congress you meet and take a photo with him or her.
3. Do try to meet our fearless leader, JDRF President and CEO Jeffrey Brewer—he’ll be there!
4. Don’t be alarmed if you meet Frankie the House Mouse while having lunch at the Capitol. (My mom way overreacted.)
5. Do look at your mom or dad’s camera when in doubt—you will be posing for photos with 10 or more photographers at any moment and may not know whose camera to look at.
6. Don’t eat spaghetti at lunch the day of your visit to the Capitol—your mom may not have a backup T-shirt. (I still say it wasn’t my fault, the meatballs were really slippery.)
7. Do look for your reflection in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool—it just opened after a two-year renovation!
8. Don’t forget to bring your swimsuit—for swimming at the hotel pool (not the Reflecting Pool).
9. Do think hard about your Town Hall celebrity question!
10. Don’t forget your lyrics to the “Promise to Remember Me” song!

We are going to have a great time! Although my Mom wants to add: don’t forget we have a very important job to do.

I can’t wait to see you all soon!

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Related: Bring on Children’s Congress!