Hialeah Miami Lakes Senior High’s Model United Nations (UN) group attended the Miami-Dade Model UN Conference on February 21 at Miami Dade College and was awarded the Secretary General’s Award for Outstanding High School out of approximately 30 competing high schools from Miami-Dade County.
Additionally individual students were awarded in several categories, including Jessica Duque and Daniel Ramirez, Best Delegates in Historical Security Council; Marina Cepeda and Danny Hernandez, Best Delegates in Economic Commission for Latin American and the Carribean (ECLAC); Savannah Kelly and Ashley Figueras, honorable mention distinctions as Lesotho in the General Assembly Committee.
Model UN is an educational simulation where students engage in stimulating debate while practicing diplomacy as well as research and writing skills,” said HML’s Model UN Faculty Advisor, Jennifer Murray. “In a world where we are becoming increasingly more globalized, it is extremely important to expose students to experiences that extend beyond local, state and nation borders. Moreover, as global citizens, students will interact with students and people from a variety of diverse backgrounds.”
The school's Model UN group, which is open to all grade levels takes part in debates and trainings during meetings on how to utilize diplomatic strategies and write resolution papers in committee. Students are then assigned various country positions and convene for discussion on resolving global issues in the form of different themes at each competition.
“As an educator it’s inspiring to see students who were at one point afraid to speak, stand in front of hundreds of peers and debate important global issues,” said Murray. “Students learn from one another and engage in conversation with each other, parents and other educators about issues around the word. Model UN takes the theoretical and makes it more applicable and relevant in students every day lives.”