 | | | Miramonte High School receives the Outstanding Small Delegation Crystal Gavel Award. Photos Diane Morrell, cccoe | | | | | | Instead taking part in their schools' football games, dances, and other fun weekend activities, 360 Bay Area high school students (representing 70 countries) buckled down Nov. 3-4 to discuss and provide workable solutions to many of our world's biggest challenges, at the 27th annual Contra Costa County Model United Nations (UN) Conference, held at Diablo Valley College.
This academic event is produced and directed by the Contra Costa County Office of Education and coordinated by Kevin Felix Chan, of Best Delegate, along with members of the Model United Nations Club at UC Davis. The two-day event enhances high school students' understanding of the United Nations and its role in global issues. Participating students (delegates) each represent a nation and negotiate on that country's behalf.
This year, California High earned the Outstanding Large Delegation Crystal Gavel Award, with Foothill High following with Exceptional Large Delegation Plaque. Miramonte High received the Outstanding Small Delegation Crystal Gavel Award, and Campolindo High brought home the Exceptional Small Delegation Plaque.
During the conference, delegates debated international issues in 10 committees, including Disarmament and International Security Committee, Security Council, United Nations Women, World Health Organization, and United Nations Children's Fund. Topics discussed included Biological and Chemical Weapons, The Question of North Korea, Access to Clean Water and Sanitation, Children in Armed Conflict, and many more.
"Model UN is an excellent opportunity for students to display all the hard work and preparation they have put in, as they successfully discuss, persuade, and work with fellow committee members on real-world problems and complex international relations," says Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Karen Sakata. "The skills they are currently refining with this program will be the same ones they'll use in college and/or in their future careers."
Model UN differs from other CCCOE academic-event programs, such as Mock Trial, in that it is not so much a competition as it is an event. Participants are commended for outstanding committee work and certificates are awarded to committee rapporteurs. Individual delegate winners are recognized for their debate skills, leadership skills, knowledge of the issues, and presentation of key resolutions. The event closes with a ceremony that recognizes the outstanding delegates.
Numerous individual awards were earned, and will be listed on the Model UN Web page in the very near future.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA