McKendree University Hosts Model UN Event for 15 Local High Schools

Note: Group photos are posted at mckendree.edu/photos. Click the Model UN 2022 link to find specific high schools.

(LEBANON, Ill., March 23, 2022) – McKendree University hosted its annual Model United Nations event on campus from March 8-10. Approximately 250 student delegates from 15 local high schools participated in this event, representing more than 50 countries.

Model UN provides students with an opportunity to learn how the UN operates and to practice their public speaking, debate, negotiation and team leadership skills. Participants take on roles as diplomats representing a country, investigating international issues, negotiating with allies and adversaries, and developing solutions to world problems. Many of today’s leaders in law, government, business and the arts – including the UN itself – participated in Model UN as high school and college students.

Participating high schools and the countries they represented include the following:

Belleville East High School: the United Kingdom, Spain and Turkey

Belleville West High School: Russia, Iran, Syria and Cuba

Christian Brothers College High School: Tunisia

Freeburg Community High School: Kenya, United Arab Emirates and Qatar

Gibault Catholic High School: Norway, Germany and Argentina

Highland High School: Vietnam, Israel and Angola

Lebanon High School: Ireland

Mascoutah High School: Niger, Belgium, Guatemala and Indonesia

O’Fallon Township High School: the United States, Italy, Portugal, Australia, Afghanistan, Peru, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Zimbabwe, Libya, Kazakhstan, Somalia and Ethiopia

Okawville High School: France, Canada and North Korea

Pana High School: India and Brazil

Staunton High School: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Triad High School: Estonia, Japan, Venezuela, Egypt, Yemen, Myanmar, Iraq, South Korea, South Africa and Nigeria

Valmeyer High School: China, Denmark and the Philippines

Althoff Catholic High School: Mexico

Scott Anderson, a McKendree senior from East Alton, Ill., served as the Secretary General of the conference.

Triad High School won the Most Outstanding Delegation Award for its Estonia delegation. O’Fallon Township High School and Valmeyer High School also won Super Delegations awards for their delegations as the United States and China, respectively.

Local students also took home many awards. The complete list of awards is as follows:

First Political

Outstanding Delegate: Emma Burton from Triad High School, representing Egypt

Superior Delegate: Lucas Gibson from O’Fallon Township High School, representing the United States; Brianna Anderson from Triad High School, representing Estonia

Special Political

Outstanding Delegate: Mia Jaggie from Valmeyer High School, representing China

Superior Delegate: Jack Bierd from Mascoutah High School, representing Niger; Ethan Wyatt from Triad High School, representing Estonia

Social, Cultural and Humanitarian

Outstanding Delegate: Megan You from O’Fallon Township High School, representing Australia

Superior Delegate: Oscar Hoerr from Valmeyer High School, representing China; Reed Buchana from Triad High School, representing Estonia

Science and Technology

Outstanding Delegate: Johna Murphy from Triad High School, representing Estonia

Superior Delegate: Zachary Clement from Triad High School, representing Egypt; Jack Gibson from O’Fallon Township High School, representing the United States

Legal

Outstanding Delegate: Madison Quick from Triad High School, representing Estonia

Superior Delegate: Calla Litteken from Triad High School, representing Nigeria; Naomi Saathoff from Highland High School, representing Vietnam.

Economic and Social

Outstanding Delegate: Connor Markovis from Triad High School, representing Estonia

Superior Delegate: Kenny Dull from Mascoutah High School, representing Belgium

Security Council

Outstanding Delegate: Brennon Willis from Gibault Catholic High School, representing Norway

Superior Delegate: Lucas Schilling from Valmeyer High School, representing China

World Health Organization

Outstanding Delegate: Margaret Ankrom from Triad High School, representing Estonia

Superior Delegate: Caleb Seboldt from Valmeyer High School, representing China

General Assembly

Outstanding Delegate: Filak Krzystoff from Althoff Catholic High School, representing Mexico

Superior Delegate: Lillie Clark from Triad High School, representing Estonia; Alyssa Davis from Mascoutah High School, representing Niger

Position Papers

Outstanding: Kate Louer from O’Fallon Township High School, representing the United States

Superior: Alexander Boehne from Triad High School, representing Estonia

Committee topics discussed this year included the following:

General Assembly: implementing the Paris Accords, reforming the World Health Organization, sustainable development goals

Security Council: Venezuela, Cyprus, Eastern Europe

Economic and Social Council: carbon reduction, vaccine distribution, international regulation of crypto currency

Social, Cultural and Humanitarian Council: access to family planning, child labor, internet censorship

Legal: territorial claims, rights of refugees, disposal of nuclear waste

Science and Technology: access to broadband, regulation of robotic weaponry, power grids

Special Political: nuclear weapons free zones, rights of indigenous peoples, space debris

World Health Organization: air pollution, diabetes and obesity, preparing for the next pandemic

 

-McK-