A six-member delegation of Sachem North Model United Nations club members traveled to Baltimore last week for the annual Johns Hopkins University Model United Nations Conference. This is the second time the Sachem North team has participated in this event.
Sachem’s delegation, one of more than 75 delegations present at the conference, was made up of seniors Ashley Brill and Peter Amato, juniors Caila Hendrickson and Jasmine Lam, and sophomores James Nentwich and Chris Moraitis. They were accompanied by club advisors Dr. Georgia Afxendiou and Mr. Kevin Miller.
“One of the primary goals of the Model United Nations Club is to provide opportunities for students to expand their horizons, to see greater possibilities and to make bigger plans and set greater goals for themselves,” said Dr. Afxendiou. “Attending the Johns Hopkins University Model United Nations Conference was just such an opportunity that allowed Sachem students not only to meet and compete with students from other states and other countries, but also to get exposed to an elite academic institution and perhaps see themselves attending the best universities our country has.”
Students competed against teams from across the country as far away as California and Texas, and from five countries, including Turkey and Sri Lanka. More than 2,700 students attended this truly global conference.
The students debated in the committees of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, United Nations General Assembly, and the International Atomic Energy Agency. In addition to their committee responsibilities, students attended a lecture by Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Jose Fernandez.
“Personally, I am extremely glad that the Board gave us the opportunity to go to the Johns Hopkins Model United Nation Conference because we learned new Model UN procedures, we became closer as a Model UN unit, and we were exposed to the college admissions process and college life,” Amato said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better trip or experience.”
Additionally, the students toured the campus of Johns Hopkins University and participated in a question and answer session with an admissions officer.
“I believe that attending the conference at Johns Hopkins University will be one of the most rewarding experiences of my high school career,” Hendrickson said. “Not only did it teach me speaking skills but it taught me how to solve international issues. My peers and I came together to achieve common goals, a skill I will certainly use in the future.”
Attending this conference proved to be a unique learning experience for the students, both in international diplomacy and world issues, as well as a life experience in the challenging academic environment offered by a truly elite university.
“I am continually impressed at the caliber of the students involved in this club around the country, and in fact, the world,” said Miller. “The fact that Sachem students perform at such high levels, in such academically challenging settings, truly speaks well of our school. Our experience at the Johns Hopkins Conference further cemented my belief that our students are among the very best.”
Alumni note: Sachem alum Dylan Cowit, who was the Secretary General of the Model UN last year, also attended the Johns Hopkins conference with Sachem in 2011 and is now a freshman at Johns Hopkins. He was serving as the chair of the Human Rights Council at this years conference.
