WESTFIELD AREA Y CONGRATULATES THE NJ MODEL UNITED NATIONS AWARD RECIPIENTS

The Westfield Area Y congratulates the Cranford and Westfield High School Model U.N. students who recently participated in a three-day conference held at the Hershey Conference Center in Hershey, PA. The students participated in wide ranging debates that were the culmination of months of research and preparation. There were 113 students from Cranford High School and 173 students from Westfield High School who participated. Locally, the program is run at Cranford and Westfield High Schools by teachers from the schools in collaboration with the Westfield Area Y.

The YMCA Model United Nations Program (Y-MUN), started in 1970, is a loose interpretation of the United Nations in New York City. Although not every committee is an exact simulation of the United Nations, the intent of the program is to provide high school students with the opportunity to simulate the debate and problem solving that occurs at the United Nations in an atmosphere that promotes respect for people of differing views. Rather than mimic other programs that focus strictly on competition and thus lose the true spirit of the United Nations, the YMCA program focuses on compromise, finding solutions, and student development to achieve a goal of “developing tomorrow’s global leaders, today.”

This year’s officers included Ed Dellarso and Andrew Zale from Westfield High School and Susanna Jaramillo from Cranford High School. Bryanna Reinhardt, Albert Chen, Ethan Prevoznak and Elizabeth Smith from Westfield High School and Colin Matheson from Cranford HS will serve as Officers for the 2015-2016 Conference. These students help organize and run the conferences.

The following students were recognized with awards:

Premier Diplomat: Selected as the top debater in their committee: Andrew Zale, Spencer Fischman, Albert Chen, Eli Wirtshafter, Ryan Soldati, Astha Dutta and William Chandler from Westfield High School. Bart Lahiff from Cranford High School.

Premier Country: Rachel Hernandez from Cranford High School.

Outstanding Country Research Paper: Ryan Shupp, Isabella Stoto and Thomas Whitehead from Cranford High School. Francis Ling, Abigail Hurwitz, Andrew Zhou, Jared Geoghan and Courtney Ryan for Westfield High School.

Outstanding Country: Todd Sweeney and Pierson Dodd from Cranford High School.

Outstanding Youth Secretariat: Committee of students who help to improve the conference throughout the year: Sabrina Huwang from Cranford High School. Jorge Ledesma and Mia Moritz from Westfield High School.

Outstanding Brief: Nicole Schimmenti, Jake Scott, Anne Stochel and Katie Trapani from Cranford High Schools International Criminal Court team.

Curtis Meyer Award for Student Leadership: Given to on one Youth Secretariat that demonstrates significant leadership: Andrew Zale from Westfield High School.

The students selected from Cranford High School to attend the two-week YMCA Youth Conference on National Affairs (CONA) in North Carolina with representatives from all fifty states were Sabrina Huwang, Bart Lahiff and Ezra Lee with Susannah Jaramillo acting as an alternate. Students selected to attend from Westfield High School were William Chandler, Anthony Pirrone, Astha Dutta, Elizabeth Smith with alternates Chris Caminiti and Andrew Zale.

The Cranford High School delegation as a whole was awarded the top honor of Premier Delegation. The Westfield High School delegation as a whole was selected as an Outstanding Delegation Both awards recognize success in the conference as a whole from preparation to debate.

The Westfield Area Y would like to congratulate all the Cranford and Westfield students on their recognition.

The Y is the nation’s leading nonprofit committed to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Visit www.westfieldynj.org to learn more about Westfield Area Y programs. Financial assistance is available for those who qualify.