MCR-SGA, also known as the Montgomery County Regional Student Government Association, held its first general assembly of the year on Tuesday, November 3 at Magruder High School.  MCR is a student-run countywide organization that takes students’ opinions into account and relays that information into the hands of school and county officials.  They are also responsible for much of the funding and aid received by clubs across the county, and their funding or “grant program” was among the most discussed topics at the event.

The organization brought various issues affecting the county’s high schools to address. Almost 100 student-leaders and involved students from across the county were present at the event.

After the usual call to order and officer reports, the MCR officers, including their President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, announced new information about the upcoming MASC Fall Leadership Convention. Held at Gaithersburg High School on November 14, the convention is hosted by MCR for the state student government association. The event will include various workshops, with the common goal of nurturing students from all over the state in leadership and teamwork skills.

Later, the delegates at the general assembly took a survey which will influence MCR’s legislative priorities and platform of the year. Finally, MCR mentioned a plan to visit schools’ SGA’s in order to collaborate with them to achieve their goals.

MCR’s Educational Policy Department also brought to the table the Board of Education’s decision to replace semester exams, starting in the second semester of the 2015-16 school year. Four options to replace grading policies have been mentioned by the Board: averaging the percentage grades of the two quarters, averaging the letter grades of the two quarters, basing grades off of trends of the two quarters, and replacing final exams with an assessment of the teacher’s choice. The MCR executive board and general assembly both agreed that the second option—averaging the letter grades of the two marking periods of the semester—would best tend to students’ needs.

The most debated topic was the grant program that MCR is implementing this year. The grant program provides $3000 of MCR’s budget for the various leadership and educational clubs throughout Montgomery County. By submitting an application, clubs can receive up to $350 in funds for their clubs activities.

The proposed amendment, which incited debate, was the prohibition of reaplying for a grant if one had already been received in the same school year.  There are three periods to apply for grants during a school year.  These occur on seasonal intervals, although the exact dates are not listed on the MCR’s website.

During a call for general consent, RM school-wide officer (Secretary) Darian Garcia objected to the amendment, adding in his side of the debate that the purpose of grants was to help achieve a purpose. “Some clubs will apply the first time around and receive lackluster amounts around fifty dollars.  It would be tragic to deny them the opportunity to apply for aid again because anyone can have great ideas that can change the community, and change the world.  Some of these clubs do not have the support system, infrastructure, and resources to hold fundraisers and gain support for their brilliant ideas, and up until now MCR has been the backbone of these clubs,” said senior and RM SGA Secretary Darian Garcia.

A convinced audience promptly rejected the amendment after a call for voting.

But an unknown member of the audience proposed a revised version of the amendment and it passed the assembly.

In the end, the two sides compromised with an amendment to the program stating that a club can only reapply for a grant if their total amount of money from grants does not exceed $350.

“This was my first general assembly. It was interesting because they let anyone who wanted to talk. Someone who has never been before can go up and say what they think, and during the debates, anyone can argue what they feel, so it’s accessible to everyone,” said student body president Zack Khan.