Model United Nations (Model UN) gives students the opportunity to develop solutions to world problems as well as harness and fine-tune their public speaking skills.
Anyone can join without any prerequisites, just an interest in global issues and affairs. The members role-play as diplomats representing a country in a simulated session of the United Nations. It is a very hands-on learning activity that enriches every participant with a better awareness of current international events.
“It makes you become aware that there is more going on in life than what happens here in Wildwood at Lafayette High school. There are global issues or areas of concern that a lot of young people don’t pay attention to or don’t have time for,” Lori Zang, Model UN sponsor, said.
“I think [the club] opens up an opportunity for [students] to get informed and work on solutions to some of those problems because if you know anything about the United Nations, that’s what they try to do. They try to pass resolutions and resolve conflicts, without the guns and the bombs,” she continued.
Zang said the club is fairly low-key without daily, or even weekly, commitment as they don’t meet regularly. Lafayette is part of the Saint Louis Area Model UN with six other high schools in which they participate in just three scheduled conferences a year.
Therefore, meetings are usually only held around the time of each conference to discuss the topics and for the students to get some help with their resolutions. The conferences are typically held at a local hotel with at least 300 students total from all the different high schools.
This laidback schedule may appeal to many students but the opportunity to attend more conferences is also available for those that are interested. In the past, groups have gone to Boston and Chicago for the regional and national conferences which provide a much different experience with around 1500 students attending.
“It’s a lot cooler than it sounds because it sounds kind of boring but once you get into it, it’s actually really fun. It’s pretty competitive so that’s cool,” junior Chase Shelton, current Model UN member, said.
