By role-playing a senator, representative, NSC member or journalist, students propose legislation, make foreign policy decisions, and publish a daily newspaper in English and French during the conference, coordinators say.

"The conference helps students, especially foreign students, with their English, public speaking, debating, writing and researching skills," says Derstine.

The Search for `Senators'

While the majority of high school students who attend the conference come from France and Luxembourg, Harvard Model Congress Europe under Derstine recruited students from other countries such as Morocco, the Soviet Union, South Africa, Italy and Austria.

HMCE members recruit participants from Europe and Africa by sending bulk mailings of brochures to high schools. Much of the recruiting was done during a visit to the European Commission of International Schools in The Hague last November by Derstine, Dean of the College Archie C. Epps III and Susan J. Stayn '91, the organization's liaison to the faculty.

Since its inception in 1987, the conference has grown "exponentially," says Derstine. The number of high school participants has doubled from last year's to more than 400 participants, Derstine says. She adds that the parliament building could only hold 450 students.

HMCE, a non-profit organization, is financed solely by fees it charges schools and students to participate in the conference. The group asks each school for an initial $100 to participate and $50 for each student attending the conference. HMCE has, however, attained reduced rates in transportation and hotel accomodations for the students and its members during conference time, HMCE members say.

Students say they won't mind missing the beach this spring break. Members say they look forward to the conference, which will allow them to "explore and see other countries and work with European students," according to Shustorovich.

And since the conference is only three days long, members say they will spend the rest of their vacations touring Europe: some plan to visit Paris while most this year will be going to Berlin to see the dismantled Berlin Wall.

"In a way," says Derstine, "it's a free trip to Europe for the staff."