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Model United Nations Program Attends UChicago Conference

By February 14, 2023No Comments

CHICAGO-Recently, the De La Salle Model United Nations Program (Model UN) participated in the Super Bowl of Model United Nations Conferences hosted by the University of Chicago at the Chicago Hyatt-Regency. Over 3,000 of the world’s best high school students attended the conference. They spent over 30 hours in conference rooms being tasked in the same manner as actual global delegates within the governing body of the United Nations.

Alongside students from the Midwest and from across the nation, student-delegations flew in from Puerto Rico, Italy, Poland and Lithuania. The international gathering of students was divided into 28 committees with the task of grappling with real-time global issues while role playing important global historical epochs. De La Salle Institute was the only co-educational parochial school to attend from the entire city of Chicago.

“De La Salle Institute’s Model United Nations Program is an authentic simulation of the UN General Assembly, UN Security Council, or other multilateral body, which introduces students to the world of diplomacy, negotiation, and decision making,” said Mr. Danny McGuire, Model UN Advisor and English Teacher. “Our Model UN students are asked to step into the shoes of ambassadors of countries that are members of the UN, from Argentina to Zimbabwe. The students, better known as ‘delegates’, debate current issues on the organization’s vast agenda. They prepare draft resolutions, plot strategy, negotiate with supporters and adversaries, resolve conflicts, and navigate the UN’s rules of procedure – all in the interest of resolving problems that affect the world.”

The De La Salle Institute Model United Nations Program sent 9 outstanding delegates from a pool of extremely qualified members.

  • Anthony Cuellar
  • Cameron Peete
  • Maliyah Arteaga
  • Samantha Mota
  • Folasade Adeoye
  • Emma Almaraz
  • Lucio Solis
  • Steven Hall
  • Mackenzie Gatton

The delegates were exposed to intense scholarly subject matter that required them to use real-time negotiation with the hopes of finding the ultimate peaceful resolution.

“Before playing out their ambassadorial roles in Model UN, our students spend hours researching the particular global problem to be addressed,” said McGuire. “The problems are taken from today’s headlines and I’m proud of our delegates for their efforts and commitment to learn how the international community acts on global concerns, like: peace and security, human rights, the environment, food and hunger, economic development, and globalization.”

Model UN delegates also look closely at the needs, aspirations, and foreign policy of the country they will “represent” at the event. The insights they gain from their exploration of history, geography, mathematics, culture, economics, and science contribute to the authenticity of the simulations once the actual role-playing gets underway, and ensures a lively and memorable experience.

De La Salle will be attending their next conference at Lyons Township High School at the end of February.

“It was an honor to be able to compete in MUNUC XXXV. Attending with peers as passionate as I am about MUN made the experience unforgettable. Being surrounded by like-minded individuals with the same charisma and persuasiveness as myself gave me such inspiration and energy that I hoped it would never end. In my crisis committee, we thwarted a coup, and attempted to shrink certain political bodies that were acting as dissenters, it was certainly an epic adventure. I am sad that MUNUC XXXV will have been my only in-person experience with MUNUC [due to COVID]. However, I am glad for the select underclassmen that will be able to experience MUNUC throughout the rest of their high school careers. The future of the De La Salle Institute Model United Nations Program certainly looks bright.”

Cameron Peete '23

“I definitely feel a little nerdy saying this but MUNUC was definitely like my Disney Land. I have never been so excited about anything academic related besides this conference. I never thought I’d get to experience a conference this large in my high school career. I met kids from different countries around the world. In between the hours of committees, I had time to learn about their culture and customs. It’s so cool, teenagers from all over the world solving problems, just like me.”

Maliyah Arteaga '24

“Speaking as someone who has fallen in love with MUN, being at MUNUC XXXV was a full weekend of me being star struck by the environment. Due to COVID this opportunity was denied to me the last few years. Seeing the sea of delegates and the vast committees, I was overwhelmed with excitement at the thought of the plethora of ideas and opinions that would be at work in collaboration to solve our global issues. Though I am disappointed this is the final time I will attend this event, it is one I will not soon forget and something I am overjoyed and extremely grateful I was able to experience. As ‘Lead Delegate’ I was incredibly proud of all the hard work our members put forth both in preparation and execution of debating, brokering peace, and resolving issues over the course of MUNUC XXXV. I do plan to continue MUN in my collegiate career, and I am glad I found MUN to devote my political passion towards.”

Anthony Cuellar '23
List of Participating High Schools
  • Academia Maria Reina
  • Adams High School
  • Al-Ghazaly Jr./Sr. High School
  • American School of El Salvador
  • American School of Guatemala
  • Amos Alonzo Stagg High School
  • Antioch Community High School
  • Agsa School
  • Auburn High School – Rockford
  • Avon Lake High School
  • Awty International School
  • Baraboo High School
  • Barrington High School
  • Beacon Academy
  • Bishop Verot High School
  • Bolingbrook High School
  • Brighton High School
  • British International School Chicago, South Loop
  • Cambridge Ridge & Latin School
  • Cambridge-Isanti High School
  • Carbondale Community High School
  • Catalyst Maria High School
  • Centerville High School
  • Chaminade College Preparatory School
  • Colegio Marista de Guaynabo
  • Colegio Puertorriqueño de Niñas
  • Columbia Independent School
  • Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School
  • Creighton Preparatory School
  • Crystal Lake Central High School
  • Culver Academies
  • De La Salle Institute
  • Deerfield High School
  • De Smet Jesuit High School
  • Detroit Country Day School
  • Dominicana Learn
  • Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. College Prep High School
  • Eden Prairie High School
  • Edina High School
  • Elgin High School
  • Franklin County High School
  • Grandview Heights High School
  • Harlem High School
  • Highland Park High School
  • Holy Cross High School
  • Horizon Science Academy
  • McKinley Park
  • Panagiotopoulos School International Academy
  • Central International School of Indiana
  • Jefferson High School
  • Kaohsiung Municipal Kaohsiung Senior High School
  • Keith Country Day School
  • Lake Forest Academy
  • Lawrence Free State High School
  • Lawrence High School
  • Lawrence North High School
  • Libertyville High School
  • Lincoln Park High School
  • Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School for Government and International Studies
  • Maine West High School
  • Marian Central Catholic High School
  • Marian High School
  • Marquette University High School
  • McFarland High School
  • Minnetonka High School
  • Mira Costa High School
  • Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School
  • Mulgrave
  • Mundelein High School
  • Muscatine High School
  • Naperville North High School
  • Nardin Academy
  • Neuqua Valley
  • New Trier High School
  • Nicolet High School
  • Oak Forest High School
  • Oregon High School
  • Park Tudor School
  • Pembroke Hill School
  • Pewaukee High School
  • Riverside Brookfield High School
  • Rockford Lutheran Schools
  • Rocky River High School
  • Rolling Meadows High School
  • Saint John’s School
  • Sheboygan North High School
  • St. Charles East High School
  • St. Charles North High School
  • St. John’s High School
  • Stoney Creek High School
  • Strake Jesuit College Preparatory
  • Taft High School
  • The Loomis Chaffee School
  • The Miami Valley School
  • The Prairie School
  • The Westminster Schools
  • Universal School
  • University of Puerto Rico Secondary School
  • Upper Arlington High School
  • Verona Area High School
  • Victor J. Andrew High School
  • Walter Payton College Preparatory High School
  • Waubonsie Valley High School
  • Wayland Academy
  • Wheaton North High School
  • Wheaton Warrenville South High School
  • Whitewater High School
  • Woodstock Academy
  • Zionsville Community High School

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