Model United Nations is a two day conference, sometimes more than once a year, where students stand as delegates and argue one of two topics given in advance. Students then have to write position papers to be entered into the conference and argue their country’s point with a partner. Although this sounds easy, the coordination between partners to stay true to their country’s beliefs is tricky. Lakewood High School’s Model UN team killed it this past Tuesday and Wednesday, taking home awards and a sense of pride.
More than twenty students piled onto the bus at 7:20 Tuesday morning, nerves and anticipation building. The bus driver Dante continued to give us reassurances as we traveled to Case Western Reserve University, and through the cultural gardens to get there. My partner Sofia and I did most of our preparations on the bus ride there, highlighting United Nations agreements and writing opening statements. From what I know about Model UN, most of the work gets crammed into the thirty minutes before the conference begins. Instructed to wear our most conservative western business attire, of course I had to push the envelope like my rents late. Wearing a bright yellow polo and short gingham skirt, I looked like the soccer mom of your dreams debating how to mitigate ecosystem disasters in the 21st century. Sofia Bianco and I were standing as Italy for this conference.
When Sofia and I arrived, we immediately made friends with Pakistan and Russia, in attempts to create early alliances for papers written–but we just ended up making good friends. The chair members were college students and followed the rules by the book, asking for decorum whenever a flame war might begin. In our committee was another Lakewood team, Sasha Seckers and her partner Aidan, stood as Turkey and won an esteemed award after. Turkey wrote one of the passed papers and merged with the United Arab Emirates to finish a paper that would be submitted to our real United Nations delegate, Nikki Haley.
Many other “delegates” have had different experiences, but through and through, Model UN is a worthwhile experience for all involved and creates friendships with people from all over the area.
