By: Kingsley Ngitngit
From learning the intricacies of speech and debate to getting a taste of what it is like to be a diplomatic official, Model United Nations (Model UN) is one of Syosset’s most distinguished clubs. Recently, Syosset’s Model UN team had an impressive performance at the Portledge Conference in Locust Valley. After this successful result, many students are now left to ponder what is next for the club. Luckily, adviser Brett Klopp has much to say about the ins and outs of Model UN and its future.
This year, Model UN had an excellent turnout at the Portledge Conference, with juniors Pari Prajapati, Vihaan Shankar, Leon Song, and Juha Kim winning the Best Delegate award.
“This was our first time at a small conference. We did very well,” said Mr. Klopp. Students in Model UN attend a variety of conferences each year, where they have the chance to learn new things and meet new people. “Each conference has different configurations of committees: some of them are contemporary, some are historical, some are what we call a general assembly, and some are crisis,” said Mr. Klopp. With this variety of committees, each student learns valuable skills and gains knowledge about how to conduct diplomacy with students from other schools.
Mr. Klopp said, “It’s always a different configuration, so they have to hone their negotiation and debating skills and do research in different areas each time.” Therefore, conferences aren’t just for learning; students also attend to demonstrate their skills in speech and debate, which requires proper preparation.
Model UN conferences are highly competitive, with participants needing to bring their A-game. Students must prepare extensively to be ready for these events, especially by staying informed about current events. Rather than simply observing the political landscape, Mr. Klopp said, “They need to read. They need to look at the relationships between countries and the demographics and understand who’s in their country. Who are their trading partners? Who are their enemies? Who are their allies?” Model UN has a full schedule ahead, with many upcoming events and conferences. For instance, Syosset Model UN will attend an overnight competition at George Washington University followed by a Port Washington conference the weekend after. Finally, to wrap up the year, Syosset will host its fifth annual SyoMUN conference, attended by dozens of students from South Woods Middle School, Harry B. Thompson Middle School, and Locust Valley Middle School. Hosting such conferences for younger students helps build early interest. Mr. Klopp said, “It makes a good connection with kids coming from middle school to then join the club once they get here in high school.” Hence, it is safe to say that the foreseeable future of Syosset Model UN is very bright.
Model UN is one of Syosset’s most impressive clubs, offering a wide range of opportunities and benefits to anyone interested in speech and debate. Ultimately, “It’s a place where we are engaged in lively debate about real events, oftentimes in real time because there’s so much changing in the world right now. And there are a lot of interesting competitions to go to,” said Mr. Klopp.
