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By Tyler Chavez – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law Model U.N. Club participated in the National High School Model United Nations conference in New York City from March 2-6.

Twenty-two Law students represented the country of Algeria. Students were assigned committees to work on by doing research, writing position papers, and participating in committee conferences.

“We were representing the nation of Algeria,” club advisor and history teacher Mr. Evanko said. “So we had to research their stance on a variety of topics.”

The NHSMUN also featured kids participating from all over the world who flew into New York City to represented other countries.

“They worked alongside students from over 25 countries; including Australia, Nigeria, Lebanon, Croatia, Ghana, Malaysia, Ecuador, Italy, Finland, and Egypt,”club advisor and history teacher Ms. Burns said.

Students would work in a specific committee that would tackle a certain range of issues such as security, education, or health.

“I was a part of the Disarmament and International Security Committee (DISEC),”  senior and club co-president Ian Hugo said. “Our job was to work on the sale of arms in the Middle East.”

The committees featured at the conference reflect real committees used by the actual United Nations.

“This year I was glad to be part of the World Health Organization,”  junior and club secretary Jordan Negron said. “We had two topics this year: the distribution of pharmaceuticals to underdeveloped countries and building health infrastructures in developing countries.”

The representatives from Law made big moves and were very active in their committees. At the end of committees, representatives make resolutions that combine their ideas and needs.

“Our students sponsored or were signatories on at least 30 different working papers or resolutions,” Burns said. “This means they had to work in moderated and un-moderated caucuses to advocate their positions, some speaking in front of rooms with 300 peers.”

The international environment presented a new challenge for students but also offered an amazing opportunity.

“It’s kind of intimidating at first – seeing all these kids at the Hilton Hotel from around the world in western business attire,”  Hugo said.

Yet the experience of working with people from all over the world open new doors for the Model UN club.

“It gives you exposure to different viewpoints from around the world,” Negron said. “Talking and working with other students from Italy, China, and Australia is an eye opening experience.”

Evanko said that the club members have set a model for all other high school students.

“We talk about students being apathetic and not participating, and to anyone who says that about modern high schoolers, I would just point them to this conference and say ‘This is it’,” Evanko said. “There is not a generational problem.”

The Model U.N. Club is already setting their sights on what they want to accomplish in the future.

“I want it to be more organized in the future,” Evanko said. “I’m hoping for the students to have more responsibility for fundraising and running the meeting.”