Model UN heads to spring conference

Model UN, a high school club that simulates the United Nations, is finishing out the year with their IHSMUN spring conference, which began on Thursday and is continuing through today.

Model UN has several members participating in the spring conference. ALPHA teacher Tim Kangas is the teacher adviser for the group, and senior Jacob Pence is the head delegate of Model UN. Other members include seniors Ellen Wallingford and Michael Niedert and juniors Jade Jacobs, Brittany Moffat and Josh Peterson.

In Model UN, students must join one of the UN’s subcommittees. From there, they research a topic and collectively draft a resolution for the topic. In the fall, the students had to write resolutions based on the United States’ position. However, at the conference this spring, the students will take the position of other countries and debate together.

There are two Model UN conferences each year. One conference is in the fall, and one is in the spring. The fall conference was held in the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines, and students discussed topics ranging from climate change to terrorism. The spring conference is held on the University of Northern Iowa campus. At this conference, the students act like the United Nations in New York City, modeling their procedures after it, although somewhat modified. They must show strong innovation to create solutions to worldwide problems, and they must be dedicated to diplomacy.

The CFHS Model UN delegates will surely learn a lot from this conference and receive several educational opportunities from participating in the event. They will learn public speaking and debate skills that will aid them in several aspects in their future.