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McKendree University Hosts 15 Local High Schools During Three-Day Model UN Event

(LEBANON, Ill., March 8, 2024) – McKendree University hosted its annual Model United Nations conference on campus from March 5-7. More than 350 student delegates from 15 local high schools attended and participated in this event, representing over 70 countries. The university has been hosting its Model UN conference for over 50 years, making it the fourth-longest running high school Model UN conference in the nation.

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, the arts and even the UN itself participated in Model UN as high school and college students.

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

  • Althoff Catholic High School: China
  • Belleville East High School: France, India, Peru and Sweden
  • Belleville West High School: Cuba, Egypt, South Korea and Switzerland
  • Christian Brothers College High School: Brazil
  • Freeburg High School: Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Malta, Pakistan and Spain
  • Gibault Catholic High School: Cambodia, Ghana, New Zealand and Turkey
  • Highland High School: Belarus, Iran, Mozambique and Poland
  • Lebanon High School: United Arab Emirates
  • Litchfield High School: Afghanistan
  • Mascoutah High School: Australia, Ecuador and North Korea
  • O’Fallon Township High School: Belgium, Canada, Congo, Hungary, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Nepal, Nigeria, Panama, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Syria and Thailand
  • Okawville Jr./Sr. High School: Albania and Mexico
  • Springfield High School: the Philippines, Serbia, the United Kingdom and Venezuela
  • Triad High School: Equatorial Guinea, Finland, Monaco, Nauru, Paraguay, Qatar, Russia, Sri Lanka, Ukraine and Vietnam
  • Valmeyer High School: Greece and the United States

Representing Russia, Triad High School won the Outstanding Delegation Award. Also receiving delegation awards were Valmeyer High School representing the United States, O’Fallon Township High School representing Japan, Triad High School representing Ukraine and Belleville East High School representing France.

Additional Outstanding Delegate awards are as follows:

  • General Assembly: Brody Schram of O’Fallon Township High School, representing Japan.
  • Disarmament Committee: Mitchell Wilson of Triad High School, representing Russia.
  • Social, Cultural and Humanitarian Committee: Maddie Fields of O’Fallon Township High School, representing Japan.
  • Legal Committee: Drake Barmann of Valmeyer High School, representing the United States.
  • Human Rights Council: Meia Jaggie of Valmeyer High School, representing the United States.
  • Economic and Social Council: Emily Geisen of Triad High School, representing Ukraine.
  • Science and Technology Committee: Pacey Harms of Triad High School, representing Ukraine.
  • The Security Council: Naomi Saathoff of Highland High School, representing Mozambique.
  • The World Health Organization: Caleb Seboldt of Valmeyer High School, representing the United States.
  • Outstanding Position Paper award: Ella Hubler-Marti of O’Fallon Township High School, representing Japan.
  • Policy Statement award: Ava Asunskis of Belleville East High School, representing France
  • Outstanding Resolution award: Leila Dailey of Triad High School, representing Vietnam.

-McK-