On December 6th and 7th, students at South Windsor High School, who are members of the club Model United Nations (Model UN), attended their annual hands-on simulation of the United Nations hosted by World Affairs Council of Connecticut.
Students in the Model United Nations club are divided into groups and assigned a country to represent. Over the course of several months, they research social issues affecting their assigned nation. The research culminates in a debate where students present their arguments and work to build support, mirroring the processes of the United Nations.
The club advisors, Mrs. Erin Simcik and Mr. William Richards were able to share some insight of why Model UN is a influential and cooperative club
“These experiences empower students to become informed global citizens and inspire them to drive positive change. Many leaders in law, government, business, and the arts credit their participation in Model UN as a defining influence on their careers,” Richards said.
In order to prepare, members attended weekly club meetings every Wednesday. During these meetings, students studied their assigned country and studied topics for debates while practicing writing positions papers.
During Model UN, students act as delegates of the United Nations in order to face international issues. Each group of students is assigned a country and within their topic committees they work to debate global issues through discussion and negotiation. The main goal of Model UN is to simulate the workings of the United Nations.
Participants face several challenges, including developing a thorough understanding of their assigned country and conducting in-depth research to craft persuasive arguments. They must also master formal debate procedures and rules to effectively present their case and secure support from other delegates.
During the debate, South Windsor High School students showed great public-speaking skills, collaboration, and critical thinking skills.
At the Model UN debate, South Windsor High school students had to face 43 other schools and were able to win 6 out of 10 awards given during the debate.
Senior, Riteesh Ramakrishnan won the Best Delegation Award.
“It was a great experience because of all the hard work we put in the last couple of months in order to win,” Ramakrishnan said.
Model UN students will now be preparing for their next year simulation. Seventeen students will be chosen to participate in the most prestigious Model UN conference: The Harvard Model UN at the end of January.
