Voices echoed and the smell of bribery filled the auxiliary gym on Jan. 29 during MAP as Jillana Hicks and Robert Garza’s Honors Government classes prepared to get their bills signed by fellow peers.

The Marketplace of Ideas is a model Congress. “A model Congress is the simulation of the congressional legislative process,” Hicks said. “It involves the passage of a bill – which if passed, becomes a law.”

Students gathered in groups to create a poster that would be displayed. The poster contained what bill they chose and why it should be passed. Some groups even brought in various confections to convince others to sign off on their legislation.

“We chose H.R. 111,” Nicole Bartholomew, 12, said. “The bill is to withhold salaries from members of Congress if they do not agree on a budget in a timely manner.”

The Marketplace of Ideas will continue on for years to come.

“We first did it last year,” Hicks said. “The students really enjoyed it and we will continue to improve it.”