On Sunday, December 8, the SCH Model UN Club hosted its first SCHMUNC (Springside Chestnut Hill Model UN Conference) of the year in the CEL main space. Twenty members of the club gathered to present different countries’ perspectives on the topic of election integrity. This topic was chosen in light of the 2024 election super-cycle, where 74 elections are held worldwide. The students discussed contemporary challenges to election integrity and explored ways to fix them while also respecting national sovereignty.
A Model UN conference is a simulation of a real-life United Nations conference, where students act as the delegates of various countries to state their country’s position and address international issues that are discussed in the UN today. The small size of the conference, only 20 students, made it highly engaging for each delegate. Ms. Gross, the advisor for the Model UN Club, noted, “We had a pretty small group come together, but I actually think that really enhanced everybody’s ability to participate and join different blocs”.
This event provided students with opportunities to deepen their understanding of global issues. Students also gained valuable public speaking skills from discussing and expressing opinions on international politics with their peers. Ms Gross emphasized the importance of these skills developed during the conference: “Model UN teaches great skills for negotiation, public speaking, and cooperation. It’s also rewarding to see how students learn how other countries approach complex topics differently.”
Sophomore participant Maya Artis, the delegate who represented India, also… reflected on her experience in the conference. She remarked, “I learned a lot about discussions and public speaking. This is my second time doing SCHMUNC, and it teaches me how to how to speak from the perspective of my represented country and debate effectively. It is really helpful.” Through her compelling argument and speech, Maya earned the Most Persuasive Delegate Award during the conference. She also commented on the importance of the topic discussed, saying, “I think the topics we choose in SCHMUNC and Model UN are really relevant. Election integrity is really important, and discussing it from different perspectives was fascinating.”
Looking ahead, this SCHMUNC also prepares the delegates for the upcoming Ivy League Model UN Conference (ILMUNC), hosted by the University of Pennsylvania in January. Taking place at the Marriott Hotel of Center City Philadelphia, ILMUNC is the biggest regional conference that the Model UN Club will participate in this year. Students around the world gather in this conference to discuss and debate global issues on a large scale. The Model UN Club is also planning its next SCHMUNC in the spring, with aspirations to include delegations from local schools such as Germantown Friends School.
