Model United Nations, or Model UN, is a club that is held every first and third Thursday at Lincoln East High School in room 014 at 3:05 p.m. The ‘24-’25 year’s sponsor is Ms. Schleicher, a social studies teacher at Lincoln East. The president and vice president this year are Ellie Hiser and Nusrat Amin. The two seniors were both elected by the previous year’s vice president and president.
This is the third year of Model UN running as a club. The club focuses on politics, current global issues, and the process of being a country in the United Nations. The United Nations is a worldwide, diplomatic organization that has the goals of maintaining international peace and security. There are many current issues that the UN could discuss, such as climate change, human rights, and sustainable development. Twice a year, the University of Kearney holds a Model UN meeting for all high schools to attend. The president of Model UN spends many hours creating certain tasks that will prepare members for the meeting. Knowing how a country runs or how a country views the topic of discussion is very valuable. Lots of research and time can pour into evaluating a country that is a member of the UN. Taking the time to make sure each student is thoroughly prepared is a very important role for the president and vice to take on.
“We do a lot of team building,” Hiser said. “Some of it is conference prep, so every time we meet, we’re prepping a little bit more for the conferences.”
Students could be working in and outside of school to prepare themselves for the meeting. The amount of time put into research and preparation could vary per student. Model UN doesn’t require any specificities for someone to join. Anyone who takes a liking to current news, politics, or world policies at the international level might enjoy attending Model UN. Model UN focuses a lot of debate and civil discourse between students. The club advocates for anyone to join in.
“It’s what I truly love about the club,” Ms. Schleicher said. “They encourage anybody, so it’s not like a one-size-fits-all type of group.”
Model UN is a great club for any student looking for a place to fit in. The environment is relaxed and there are no qualifications that are required to join. Joining an after-school activity is a great way to meet new people from all grades, learn new things, and explore future options. Model UN does just that and more for anyone who joins.
