Over the course of a few days during February Vacation, 11 students from Chelsea High School participated in the prestigious Harvard Model Congress Conference in Boston.
These 11 individuals represented CHS at the premier government simulation conference for high school students. The Harvard Model Congress Conferences welcomes around 1,700 delegates annually from across the United States and around the world, putting CHS students among their peers from across the world.
During the four-day conference, students were assigned to House, Senate and Special Programs Committees, where they followed real legislative rules and procedures. They collaborated with their peers from high schools across the country and the world to write, debate and vote on bills and resolutions. They also toured Harvard and attended a lecture on applied ethics taught by renowned professor Sergio Imparato.
“I am incredibly proud of our students and educators for representing Chelsea Public Schools at the Harvard Model Congress Conference, a premier academic experience that challenges young people to think critically, collaborate, and lead,” stated CPS Superintendent Dr. Almi G. Abeyta. “Experiences like this embody our commitment to ensuring every student’s story includes opportunities to learn, grow, and lead in our schools and beyond. I am also thankful for the role Chelsea High School alumnus Jimmy Merino had in creating this opportunity for our students, who are our future community and civic leaders.
“The best part of my job is seeing our students excel in challenging and new contexts. I think we all experienced some culture shock walking into the conference. There was a mix of local public schools, prestigious boarding schools, and schools from other countries. We were presented with stacks of paperwork, lanyards, t-shirts, and a pretty filled and hectic schedule. This was the first HMC conference we have brought students to, and I could not be more proud of how they handled this new challenge,” commented CHS educator Nicholas Parsons.
Parsons and fellow CHS staff member Jenny Daza served as faculty advisors on the trip with the students. The experience was also supported by CHS alumni and current Harvard student Jimmy Merino ‘24, his colleague Bannon Price and the HMC Executive Board. They provided mentoring for the Chelsea students and helped fundraise the trip to provide these Chelsea students with the opportunity to participate in the conference.
“It was an honor welcoming Chelsea High School to Harvard Model Congress Boston 2026. Over the past few months, we’ve had the privilege of watching these students grow into confident and thoughtful leaders. The Executive Board is grateful for our continued partnership and excited to continue empowering future cohorts of Chelsea students in the foreseeable future,” the Harvard Model Congress Boston 2026 Executive Board commented.
One CHS student, Asiya Bana, was selected to deliver a speech about “The Importance of Civic Engagement and Public Service” at the Mentorship/Scholarship Reception at View Boston. She showcased the leadership of Chelsea students, addressing their fellow delegates as an exemplary civic leader.
The students were professional and prepared throughout the conferences, representing CHS, Chelsea Public Schools and the Chelsea community incredibly well. This experience and opportunity built confidence for the students as they approach graduation and look towards their futures. These students are leaders in their community now and are well on their way to being civic leaders in the future.
Parsons added, “It was inspiring to see the growth in our students’ confidence, organization, and knowledge of how our government functions over only four days. I know the conference just ended, but wow that we got our feet wet and know what to expect, we are excited to go back next year.”