One of the most common clubs of any school is Model United Nations, or Model UN for short. Model UN is an international academic program that replicates the real United Nations, a committee of representatives from several countries that meet every few years to solve global issues. The club meets with other schools to simulate these conferences as well as the process of finding widespread solutions that work for all of the countries.
Last school year, however, it was decided that the Model UN club at AHS would be shut down due to a lack of student interest and support. The few students who enjoyed participating in the club were left feeling devastated, but they were even more motivated to revitalize the club for the upcoming school year. They have been working to find new support for Model UN as well as increase interest for it among the student body.
“We’re kind of rebranding Model UN and trying to get more people to do it with us to bring the club back to a better standing,” junior Vivi Obester, a member of the club, said. “It was a bit of a struggle to find [another] sponsor since a lot of people are busy, and then we had to work to find new ways to get students interested.”
One of the biggest ways that the current members of Model UN are increasing student interest is promoting the many benefits of participating in the club.
“There are just so many opportunities to play roles in helping out solve problems—I think it’s really fun if you want to grow as a global thinker,” senior Hailey Ayin, another member of the club, said. “If you’re into history or geopolitics, I think this could be something for you.”
Additionally, the club serves as a good opportunity to improve your public speaking skills, and it is a great addition to any college application.
“It’s just a great way to work together on common problems,” Ayin said. “That’s what our club’s about—we simulate that idea.”
The club has already seen a much greater turnout for members this year, but it still continuously looks for new members in order to build both support and a community within the program.
“We want everyone and anyone,” Obester said. “No experience needed—just some kind of interest in Model UN and learning more about how the world works together to solve problems.”
Because of the community that the members have already established, Model UN will likely continue to grow and expand throughout this year in its membership as well as its opportunities. With Steven Zaret and Karen Chu as the new sponsors as well as a lot more student interest this year, Model UN and its members seem to have a bright future ahead of them.
