On Saturday April 30th, three Montrose Model United Nations members traveled to Sandwich High School to participate in the final MUN conference of the year.  Ciara Young ‘18, Anna Maria Barbiellini ‘17, and Caroline Churney ‘19 formed the Montrose team.  Ciara said, “My first conference was really fun overall, but a little nerve-wracking at first.”

Ciara and Anna Maria participated in an exciting committee, set in 1973, on the impending crisis between the United States and the Soviet Union.  In their committee, the girls represented not countries but people from the US or the USSR.  Ciara said, “I represented James Keough of the US Information Agency.  I was nervous at first; but, as I started to understand the process, I volunteered more ideas and began enjoying myself.  My ‘bloc’ [allied group of delegates within a committee] started off very organized, but then, as the USSR started to intimidate us, we began to fall apart.”  MUN Advisor Mrs. Forsgard added, “I had the pleasure of witnessing Ciara actively participate in debate (and have her comments seconded by others!), despite this being her first conference.”

Caroline participated in a different committee, discussing and debating the incorporation of women in US currency.  Like Anna Maria and Ciara, she represented a person, rather than a country, because the issue concerns only the US.  She said, “My committee was smaller than other committees I’ve participated in, which was nice.  It was a little different because the Secretary of Treasury could veto any resolutions we came up with, so we always centered our ideas around her opinion. This was probably my favorite committee because we passed many resolutions and incorporated some elements of graphic design in designing new bills. It also incorporated a lot of U.S. history especially around the civil rights movement and various Presidents.”  

In addition, both Anna Maria and Caroline won awards for their committee work.  Caroline shared, “I won an honorable mention for representing an individual/position. Because I (the person I represented) had written several books on Ulysses S. Grant, I had to push for his staying on the bill. It didn’t happen though because a crisis came in, revealing he got into a drunken brawl.”  Crises like these truly represent how Model UN combines research and preparation with quick-thinking and the ability to adjust positions.  Anna Maria won an award for resolution writing, as she contributed many ideas to her committee’s resolution.

Montrose Model UN experienced a truly exceptional debut year.  By participating in several conferences and practice debates over the course of the year, members gained valuable research, speaking, writing, debating, and compromise skills that will benefit them through high school and beyond.