PHS Students Participate in Harvard Model United Nations

From PHS: Students from Pomperaug High School (PHS) participated in the sixty-sixth session of the Harvard Model United Nations (HMUN) on Thursday, January 24th to Sunday, January 27th , 2019, in downtown Boston, MA.

HMUN is an international relations simulation for high school students, where more than 3,300 delegates and their faculty advisors from across the country and around the world gather together to negotiate on major international crises, craft innovative policy solutions, and be international decision makers. Representing the nation of Cabo Verde in the 2019 HMUN session, PHS students researched, discussed, and debated issues of social equality, humanitarian concerns, economics, terrorism, culture, law, disarmament, decolonization and environmental impacts. PHS 11th grader, Michelle Lu, received an honorable mention award at the conference for her exceptional work on the committee.

PHS has participated in HMUN for over 25-years, with each student participant applying to become part of the PHS HMUN delegation. Michelle Szmajlo and Michelle Saraiva are the current teacher advisors for the PHS HMUN. “PHS is continuously invited to participate in HMUN, speaking volumes about the abilities of our students. As advisors, we receive many more applications than there are spaces available. Each student applicant is required to research and write a paper to be considered for a spot in the delegation. While their acceptance is not guaranteed, many students put forth the effort to complete the task for a chance at participation in club meetings and the resulting conference. For this fact, all PHS applicants are exceptional,” said Szmajlo. Through the program, the student delegates gain insight into the workings of the United Nations and the dynamics of international relations by assuming the roles of world leaders and international decision makers. “At the summit, you are tasked with collaborating with hundreds of delegates to create and pass resolutions. This is an arduous task as each delegate has specific goals and interests for their respective nations. For myself, this experience put me in the shoes of our own ambassadors and politicians. It shed a light upon the difficulties of solving geopolitical issues. However, by talking with thousands of delegates coming from around the world, it’s easy to see how similar we are. We share many of the same interests and understand that each person deserves a voice,” said Zachary Wisnefsky, PHS student and member of the 2019 Model UN Cabo Verde delegation.

HMUN is an exciting opportunity for young leaders to debate the most pressing issues of the day and to draft innovative, creative solutions. “Students are asked to consider world issues that have occurred in the past and contemplate possible outcomes for the future. While the issues are important, they learn valuable skills about how to interact with others and find way to reach a consensus for the most favorable world outcomes,” continued Szmajlo. Each year HMUN attracts some of the most promising young leaders from around the world. It is an opportunity for participants to develop several skills throughout this process, including: public speaking, negotiation, teamwork, leadership, and policy crafting.

Image via PHS/Region 15 Schools