Loomis Students Win Honors at Model UN

Loomis Chaffee was very well represented at the 38th annual Yale Model United Nations (YMUN) Conference, held January 19-22 on the campus of Yale University in New Haven. A talented group of 36 Pelicans simulated the delegations of Chile, Israel, and the United Kingdom, with 12 students garnering awards — the best performance at YMUN ever.  

Junior Mike Horowicz earned top honors in his committee, being named Best Delegate as the representative from the United Kingdom on Historic GA 1994: Rwanda & Bosnia. Earning Outstanding Delegate honors were juniors Jamie Neikrie and Rekha Kennedy (United Kingdom/Disarmament & International Security Committee), juniors Ji Hee Yoon and Krishna Kulkarni (United Kingdom/European Union), and junior Daniela Rakhlina-Powsner (Chile/Commission on Sustainable Development). Acknowledged by their committee chairs for excellent preparation and participation throughout the four-day conference, Honorable Mention recognition went to senior Alex Shirley and sophomore Suzie Jung (Chile/Disarmament & International Security Committee), sophomores Eliana Zhou and Victoria Smith (Israel/Special Political & Decolonization Committee), senior Mattie Thomas (Chile/United Nations Children’s Fund), and junior Paul Lee (Israel/Historic General Assembly Committee 1994: Rwanda & Bosnia). 

Loomis Chaffee students have attended the Yale Model United Nations conference since the early 2000’s. This year’s delegates were selected through a thorough application process in which the students needed to display both their current knowledge of pressing world affairs as well as their passion and drive. 

“As a whole, this was the best showing we have had at the conference,” says Foreign Policy Association advisor and history teacher Rachel Engelke who accompanied the students. “Loomis Chaffee has been building a strong group presence at the Model UN over the years, but this group was exceptionally qualified.”

Yale is widely recognized as one of the premier sites on the Model UN circuit; this particular conference attracts approximately 1300 students each year from New York, New England, and around the world. The wide range of students brings a special diversity to the conference, and through events such as Yale Day and a delegate dance, this conference puts an emphasis on personal connection.

 Advisor Rachel Engelke notes that through participation in the conference, students make new friends and developed new skills all while garnering a deeper understanding of the complexity of international affairs. “This insight is invaluable,” she says. “Diplomacy takes patience, nuance, and a deep understanding of all perspectives, especially those you disagree with. It is a skill that must be learned and practiced regularly. I imagine that some Loomis Chaffee graduates might ultimately find themselves in careers where cooperation and collaboration are essential skills, and I think that the Model UN can help prepare them for that.”