Notre Dame’s Model United Nations program, or MUN, which was started at the beginning of the current school year, is up and running with a good, core group of students, said upper-division social studies teacher Dave Osiecki, who is moderating the club.
“Our very first conference is an all-day event November 1 at North Farmington High School,” Osiecki said. “We will have six students representing the country of Singapore on various UN committees. The students are currently conducting research on the committee topics and we are all looking forward to our first foray into Model UN.”
With roots going back to the early 20th century at Harvard University, Model United Nations is a high school- and college-based simulation of the United Nations General Assembly located in New York City. In Model UN, students step into the shoes of ambassadors from UN member states to debate current issues on the organization's agenda. While playing their roles as ambassadors, student "delegates" make speeches, prepare draft resolutions, negotiate with allies and adversaries, resolve conflicts, and navigate the Model UN conference rules of procedure—all in the interest of mobilizing international cooperation to resolve problems that affect countries all over the world.
Other area schools as well as those around the U.S. currently have MUN clubs or teams, including Cranbrook, Roeper, St. Ignatius (Chicago), Dalton (NYC), Trinity (NYC) and Bloomfield Hills High School.
Osiecki welcomes other students to come on board. "By doing so, the hope is that there will be significant enhancement of skills for members, including those used in research, analysis, public speaking, negotiation, etc.," he said.
Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org.
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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." NDPMA is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and 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.