Model UN Spotlight

The United Nations is an international organization of most countries that aims to maintain peace and safety and resolve issues around the world. In Model UN, students simulate UN committees. Student delegates from Walls and all over the world gather to debate and attempt to solve real world issues through the perspective of their assigned country.

In its first meeting on Sept. 20, Walls’s Model UN leaders asked members to introduce themselves and explain why they joined the club.

“I joined Model UN because I'm interested in public relations and studying them in the future, which I know Model UN is about,” said Carlotta Rother, a sophomore.

At the meeting, leaders informed members about all the upcoming conferences which the club will attend. Erin Pollack, the Model UN president, explained, “We teach people how the conferences work and we have meetings twice a week in the mornings, where people practice their speaking skills and writing skills.”

Club leaders give lessons at meetings about the different types of committees and what to anticipate. Leaders also conducted activities that will help members work on their public speaking skills. Each activity focuses on one skill, like speaking without using buzzer words such as ‘like,’ ‘um’ and ‘uh’. Other activities help with improvisation, speaking for as long as possible without prior research, and other skills.

Seojin Kim, the team’s new member coordinator, said he liked the speech improvisation activities the best. “They are the most helpful for conferences since that's a skill we use a lot,” he said.

All of these practices allow each member to become more confident and comfortable when giving speeches and in their public speaking skills. The team aims to ensure new students, experienced or not, are prepared for conferences, learn valuable skills, and have fun.

Model UN meets in room 124 on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.