Every year, the school’s Model United Nations team unites the school’s critical, political thinkers in competition against the other competitive teams around the country at collegiate conferences that test both their intellect and mental endurance.
The group recently competed in the 20th annual Washington Area Model United Nations Conference (WAMUNC). The conference was located just outside D.C. and was hosted and staffed by George Washington University. It lasted four days, and included activities such as briefings and speeches from professionals in the field as well as the simulations of a United Nations setting. “Whether delegates are veterans or completely new to the MUN scene, they will find that this conference will challenge their diplomatic skills, increase their knowledge of the subjects debated, and enrich their understanding of the world,” the conference said via their website, wamunc.com.
The delegates worked hard there and found success, earning the overall award for Outstanding Large Delegation. This award was the second delegation award the team has earned in a row, and was a result of all the individual superlatives different team members earned during the conference. Seniors Aileen Feng and Aaron Levine won Best Delegate as representatives of Ireland to lead the group, while Seniors Arjun Guthal, Young Kim, Alex Arner, and Shazia Ahmed, juniors Jasmin Rafie and Delyar Delavery and sophomores Mei Yuzuki and Iman Shumburo won Outstanding Delegate awards and each played an integral role in securing the overall group award for the team.
Other group members who performed well at the conference and earned Honorable Mentions for awards are seniors Kimia Heydari, Evan Ayoroa, Hamzah Shah, and Jay Lyashko, and juniors Jenny Yarmovsky, Mina Senthil and Joel Shapiro. Verbal Commendations went to sophomores Sophia Miller, Angela Yu and Martin Li. “It was cool to get an award of recognition. It validated all of the hard work I’ve put in this year and let me know that I’m on the right track towards becoming one of the leaders of this group when I become an upperclassman. It was also awesome to see so many other people win awards too, especially the seniors,” Verbal Commendation winner Martin Li said.
This conference marks the end of the season for MUN, and while it’s a bittersweet moment for the outgoing seniors, returning members are optimistic about the future of the group amidst all the outgoing talent. “All throughout this year with our seniors leading the way we have established ourselves as a very good group, and I know we’ll continue to be successful even with all the seniors leaving,” freshman team member Ameya Deshmukh said.
Peter Hechler
Managing Editor
