by Liam Trump ‘24

With sponsorship from Staff Development Teacher Anne Taylor, Model United Nations (UN) has made its way back to Sherwood this year. The club role-plays countries at local and regional conferences. Students will act as delegates representing a nation’s values and debate policies with countries represented by Model UN delegates from other schools. For every upcoming conference, a new country is decided for the club to simulate. During conferences, delegates meet in committees to find solutions to international problems.

“I think all students would find Model UN appealing because it’s exciting to represent a country even when you don’t always personally agree with its positions,” said Taylor. “It’s always fun to debate, but it’s even more rewarding to reach compromises and learn about world issues. Model UN is particularly great for students who want to grow their public speaking, writing, negotiation, and listening skills.”

Meetings are held every other Thursday, but will be held every week closer to the conferences. These meetings consist of researching the position of countries, debating policies, and writing speeches. The club’s main objective is to introduce students into the world of diplomacy, negotiations, and decision making. “We practice looking at the world from other perspectives and brainstorm possible solutions to conflicts,” noted Taylor.

In the past when Sherwood had a Model UN club, members were seen as some of the best prepared delegates in the region, winning various accolades at conferences. The first conference this year will be held in December at Churchill. After that, there will be a weekend conference in February called the North American Invitational Model United Nations (NAIMUN), and the final conference will be at the University of Maryland College Park in April.

“Preparing for each conference means doing a lot of research on your assigned country, committee, and current issues, as well as writing a whole position paper. However, having met a few of our members, I don’t think it’s anything we can’t handle,” said senior Maalini Srinivasan, who is the president of Sherwood’s club. “With a lot going on in foreign politics right now, Model UN is a really fun and interactive way to stay well informed.”