Model United Nations students won several awards at their recent competition at SFA.
In Model UN students learn about diplomacy, international relations and the United Nations. They cultivate speaking, debating and writing skills, as well as critical thinking, teamwork and leadership abilities.
Participants in Model UN conferences, known as delegates, are placed in committees and assigned countries to represent.
Model UN is sponsored by Mrs. Megan Rudisill.
NHS Senior Kristine Maulion has been in Model UN since sixth grade. She said she loves meeting people at competitions and creating maps and collages.
“It’s also fun to see the different solutions people come up with to solve global issues,” she said. Kristine said she would encourage people to consider joining Model UN because it’s “super-fun and has something for everyone.”
“There’s a creative, artistic side, but there are also debate and writing elements,” she said. “We typically begin in August when school starts and work until the competition in early January. Being a senior, I was nervous for this year’s contest because we always want to do well.”
Kristine said her group hit a few bumps in the road, but their delegation did really well.
“I won first place speaker for my committee,” she said. “Model UN is a great club to be involved with, and I highly recommend joining. Even if you’ve never done it before, people are always willing to help you learn and it offers different things to different people.”
Senior Kealy Hathaway has been involved with Model UN for three years.
“I enjoy spending time with people I might not talk to otherwise,” she said. “We get to make cool things.”
Kealy said NHS took fewer people to competition than they usually do this year, but the school was very successful and her delegation did very well.
“Model UN is a lot of fun and a good way to get to know people,” she said. “It opens you up to speaking skills and other skills you need in life.”
Students who participated in the competition include: The delegation for China, led by head delegate Alex Taaffe and delegates Jerry Moreno, Haris Hashim, Arya Vyas and Antonio Ajero. Alex Taaffe received honorable mention for the security council.
The delegation for Indonesia included head delegate Kamden Hathaway and delegates Maya Smith, Whitley Howell and Addison Heath. The group won third place in the map competition and Whitley Howell won third place for the WHO committee.
The Cote d’Ivoire delegation included head delegate Fariha Sultana and delegates Jason Hernandez, Israel Ocampo and Nicholas Bacarisse. The group won second place for resolution writing and third place for impromptu resolution writing.
Representing the United Kingdom delegation were head delegate Adrian Pitts and delegates Alex Presley, Jordyn Davis and Ravin Khan. The group won second place in the map competition and the collage competition. Individual awards went to Alex Presley, who won first place for the security council, and Adrian Pitts, who won second place for the UNEP committee.
The delegation representing Ethiopia included head delegate Stuart Beal, and delegates Kristine Maulion and Kealy Hathaway. They won first place in the map competition, the collage competition and the resolution writing competition. They also won second place for best delegation at the general assembly. Individual awards went to Kristine Maulion, first place for the FAO committee; Kealy Hathaway, second place for general assembly speaker, and Stuart Beal, first place for the UNEP committee.
