On Saturday, May 11, Mount Madonna School (MMS) sixth and seventh grade students participated in the 10th Annual Middle School Model United Nations Conference organized by the Lyceum of Monterey County and held at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey. .
The conference was an all-day event that included an opening ceremony with Lisa Martin, executive director of MUN Impact, as keynote speaker, and was attended by middle school students from several area schools. This was the first time that MMS middle school students have participated in a Model United Nations (Model UN). event.
Students were organized in pairs and assigned a country and a committee to work on debating a global issue with other delegates at the conference. These included, the Security Council, which looked at the current situation in Venezuela; the World Health Organization Executive Board (WHO), that discussed the topic promoting the health of migrants; and the General Assembly Third Committee, Social Humanitarian and Cultural, which debated human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation.
To prepare for the conference, students had eight weeks to learn about their country and what position their country would take to address the topic of their committee. Then, each pair had to write a one-page position paper that stated clearly what their country’s position on the issue is, and provide several actions their country proposes the United Nations committee might take to address the issue.
At the conference, students spent half of the day debating their views and the other half trying to agree on a resolution (action plan) to draft into a formal UN-style resolution contract.
“The conference was a success,” said teacher Chrislaine Miller. “Our students did really well, even as first timers. Seventh grader Ethan Lee was selected by his committee (WHO) to be on the panel discussion at the closing ceremony. Secondly, classmates Wyatt Adams and Henry Jacob’s position paper (Dominican Republic, WHO) won an award for best position paper.
Miller also gave awards to acknowledge students’ effort and hard work:
Sixth grader Cisco Rothman-Salado and seventh grader Emma Monclus both won an MMS award for best presenters, as voted on by their peers. Miller’s awards for best position papers went to Josie Moran and Anya Gonzalez, seventh, representing Cyprus in the General Assembly; Sophia Manzur and Emma Monclus, seventh, representing Sri Lanka in the WHO committee; Kinsey Don Carlos and Lagi Hunnicutt, sixth, representing the Democratic Republic of Congo in the General Assembly; Jillian Segura and Amelie Zands, sixth, representing Kuwait on the Security Council; and Asher Webb, sixth, and Erik Howley, seventh, representing Germany for the WHO committee.
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Nestled among the redwoods on 355 acres, Mount Madonna School (MMS) is a community of learners dedicated to creative, intellectual, and ethical growth. MMS supports its students in becoming caring, self-aware, discerning and articulate individuals; and believe a fulfilling life includes personal accomplishments, meaningful relationships and service to society. The CAIS and WASC accredited program emphasizes academic excellence, creative self-expression and positive character development. Located on Summit Road between Gilroy and Watsonville. Founded in 1979.
