Notre Dame Model UN group represents school well at university conference.
Notre Dame’s first-ever Model United Nations awards were earned this past weekend when 10 Notre Dame Preparatory students participated in Oakland University's first annual Model UN conference. The conference was run by OU's political science department and each committee was staffed by OU political science students and alumni.
The Feb. 26-27 conference featured many of the most experienced Model UN teams in Michigan, including the International Academy, Bloomfield Hills High School, Midland Dow High School and Ann Arbor Greenhills.
Each Model UN committee discussed critical topics in world affairs such as the conflict in Syria, cyber-security and cyber-terrorism, safe drinking water as a human right, and combating violence against women.
Michelle Lo, a senior at NDP and the school’s head delegate for MUN, said her time so far in Model UN has shown her how students will use MUN as a way of preparing themselves for careers in political science, international relations, and even law.
“It was inspiring to meet people who realize the benefits of participating in MUN and are using their experience to gain an edge in their aspirations,” Lo said. “Regardless of what someone plans to study or do in the future, I think MUN allows members to learn important skills necessary for all aspects of life, such as public speaking, collaborating with others, and working towards a resolution that incorporates what everyone thinks is best.”
Dave Osiecki, a social studies teacher in the upper division and the moderator of Notre Dame’s MUN club, said each committee in the conference featured delegate speeches, question and answer sessions, and the drafting of working papers and resolutions. “Parliamentary procedures were observed throughout,” he said, “and the discussions and negotiations were quite sophisticated. Our Notre Dame delegates demonstrated knowledge, passion and poise throughout,” he said.
In only the second year of existence for Notre Dame’s MUN team, two of its students were presented with awards during the OU event, this first-ever for the school.
Sophomore Julia Nellis received Best Delegate honorable mention recognition for her work representing Spain on the UN Security Council and junior Lexi Lawroski was awarded the very prestigious Best Delegate award for her work representing Ireland on the UN Human Rights Commission. Lawroski also was awarded an honorary gavel in recognition for her special service and passion during the commission's two days of work.
Sophomore Julia Nellis, junior Chase Glasser and Mary Ivory are at OU’s MUN conference last weekend.
“I had an incredible time at this event at Oakland,” said Chase Glasser, a junior at Notre Dame. “I really enjoyed the challenge of working on the 2030 Security Council. Working with your peers to solve future problems is a unique challenge that has real-life implications. I strongly believe everybody involved in MUN is better for it.”
Notre Dame students who participated in the MUN conference at Oakland University included Mary Boltri (Ireland), Chase Glasser (Turkey), Sabrina Isham (Turkey), Gina Ivory (Turkey), Jacqueline Kenny (El Salvador), Katie Kim (Vietnam), Lexi Lawroski (Ireland), Michelle Lo (Spain), Mariel Manzor (Vietnam) and Julia Nellis (Spain).
Manzor said she really enjoyed the entire conference and learned so much about Vietnam as a country as well as the important issues of the human right to water and the rights of migrants and immigrants. “I felt very privileged to be a part of such eloquent debate, represent the needs and views of my country, and pass resolutions that were the result of collaboration of many nations and could enact real change,” she added.
The Model UN team's next event will be a "crisis" conference at International Academy (West) on March 5.
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About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." The Marist Fathers and Brothers sponsor NDPMA's Catholic identity and manages its educational program. Notre Dame is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.