This school year, University High School’s Model United Nations team has been strengthening its program by expanding conference participation and member engagement. One key UHS MUN event was the in-house Fall MUN Conference, held on Saturday, Oct. 18. Fall MUN allowed new delegates to build their skills, advanced members to take on more challenging roles and student leaders to gain experience organizing and running a full conference.
Model United Nations advisor Genevieve Oakes focused on expanding the program and supporting its current members in continuing to improve. There has been an increase in new delegates and several upcoming conferences and trips planned.
“We are continually getting new novices, which is great, because that will build our program for the future,” Oakes said.
The growing number of novice delegates was reflected in this year’s award recipients, as several first-year participants were recognized for their preparation and performance.
Senior Alex Nguyen, sophomore Vinya Gupta, freshman Bella Shokrai and freshman Sofia Reyes earned research awards in the Novice category, while sophomore Sahi Gopavarapu and Reyes received Best Delegate honors. These recognitions highlighted the strength of the program’s newer members and reflected the progress the team is making as it continues to expand.
“Model UN has helped me improve public speaking and my debating skills,” sophomore Sanam Sarafian said.
Beyond personal skill development, the Fall MUN Conference provided delegates with an opportunity to showcase what they’ve learned in a real conference setting. Awards were presented to recognize exceptional research, public speaking and debating skills, showcasing both novice and advanced participants for their hard work and dedication.
“As long as we are sending a good number of students, which is usually about 30 or so per conference, then everybody’s getting a good experience [and] more knowledge about how to be effective delegates,” Oakes said.
Oakes emphasized that consistent participation at conferences is key to building skills and confidence. With about 30 delegates attending each event, students gain hands-on experience in debating, public speaking and diplomacy. Looking ahead, the team has trips planned to Georgetown in February and UC Berkeley in March, offering members additional opportunities to challenge themselves and apply what they’ve learned.
Overall, the Fall MUN Conference showed the steady growth of the UHS Model United Nations program. Participation in UHS MUN has increased, and delegates continue developing their skills in research, debate and collaboration, creating a strong foundation for continued success.
