Club spotlight: Model United Nations

There is a variety of exhilarating clubs available at EF Academy New York, packed full of activities to keep you on your feet. Becoming a part of a club can give you the opportunity to meet new people you wouldn’t have the chance to know outside of class. It allows you to make life long memories and connections.

Throughout my time at EF Academy, I have had the pleasure of attending our Model United Nations Club. Initially I joined in my junior year, not aware of what to expect. After going to weekly meetings, learning the terminologies and playing games, I got the opportunity to attend conferences. After being interviewed and stating why I should go, I was chosen to attend conferences held at Fairfield University, Princeton University and Cornell University. These trips ranged from day trips to overnight trips, staying away from campus for 3 to 4 days at the conferences. They gave me the chance to meet students from all around the US and truly understand world issues through a variety of countries perspectives. It was always strange for the US students when we arrived. They were amazed by the cultural differences and how we were all such good friends. Through the long bus trips and late night pizzas, I ended up meeting some of the greatest people and continuing our friendships outside of the club.

Once the year came to an end, our senior leaders and advisers left, that is when the remainder of us decided we needed to ensure Model United Nations Club’s future. We took the initiative to ask our wonderful teacher, Ms. Levitt, to take over as our Adviser for the following year. She gladly accepted and when we came back after the summer holidays I was thrilled to get back into the club. I ran for Secretary General and chose Juan Brill as our Treasurer. We wanted it to be better than the previous year and include more of the student body.

We ended up with the highest participation since the club’s formation and became a competitive club, with everyone wanting a spot for the conferences. I conducted weekly meetings and helped students improve their skills over the year. This year we successfully attended three conferences, including Fairfield University and Princeton University again. However, what was so unique about this year was the Global Citizen Conference held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. This was an extraordinary experience. We sat in the rooms where world leaders made decisions and heard amazing speeches from the Italian UN representative and various Harvard students. During this trip I got to truly know the students in the club, go out for group dinners and overall immerse myself in the conference. Having the chance to not only be a part of Model UN, but lead it, has helped me gain life-long skills like leadership and public speaking. It is a club that I encourage every student to give a chance, even if politics is not your forte. The atmosphere within this club is one of my favorite environments at EF Academy, it is an experience that you do not want to miss out on.

Written by: Gizel Gedik, IB Diploma Y2 Student