For high school students who dream of one day leading their communities, making an impact in business, or shaping the future of civic life, the wait doesn’t have to start after graduation, it can start right now. The Youth Leadership Association gives young people across Ohio and West Virginia the chance to develop real leadership skills while they’re still in school. Whether it’s debating legislation, serving their communities, or representing nations, YLA students don’t just learn about leadership; they live it.
Through YLA, students can participate in many different events and activities, including summer camps, seminars, Youth In Government, conferences, and, most recently, Model United Nations (MUN).
Model United Nations is a yearly event that serves as an educational simulation in which high school students act as delegates for a country. When registered for the event, each student will be assigned a country to represent in advance, and they will research and understand exactly what their country’s views are. Using this knowledge, students will debate global issues, write resolutions, and practice professional relations.
Along with being able to represent a country during MUN, there are also many leadership roles that students get the opportunity to occupy. Some of these roles include Secretary General, Committee Chairpersons, Officer Candidates, and the President of the General Assembly. This year, John Marshall student Cheyenne Harvey served as the President of the General Assembly.
“As President of the General Assembly this year, I got to choose committees and committee topics. Based on what committee and topic you’re assigned, you will write a position paper so you will be prepared to attend MUN. Once you arrive, you have time to discuss and debate for an hour, followed by another hour to write resolutions. We take a break, and then we come back, vote on resolutions, and complete our resolution writing. We then finish off by going to the general assembly, where you vote to pass or fail the resolutions,” said Harvey.
Running for a leadership position is a great opportunity for students who are looking to communicate with others and show their skills. For Cheyenne, her Presidential role in MUN was unexpected, but certainly earned.
“I was a delegate from Norway for two years, and I didn’t plan on running, but they needed somebody, and I knew I was capable, so I did it because I knew it was important, and my best friend had done it the year before. I actually ran for Secretary General, and I won that position, but then the guy who won for President of the General Assembly quit, so I took on that position,” said Harvey.
From being a leader to a delegate for a country, MUN is the perfect way to connect with others and improve public speaking, critical thinking skills, collaboration, and global awareness. One of Wheeling Park’s representatives, Owen Zheng, got to experience MUN for the first time this year.
“I represented the United Arab Emirates. To prepare for the event, I had to write 3 to 4 paragraphs about my topic, which country I’m supporting, and which council I’m in. As soon as I got there, we were divided into our councils. I was in the education council. We debated on how to spread access to education throughout the world, specifically the Middle East and the North African Region,” said Zheng.
Model United Nations is a great opportunity for high school students to make friendships with each other and meet people from all over Ohio and West Virginia.
“I’ve made a lot of friends in YLA. My first YLA event was MUN. I’ve met so many friends there, and it’s so much fun to be able to talk to everybody for a day and to get a break from school,” said Cheyenne Harvey
Along with meeting new friends, MUN is the perfect opportunity to obtain knowledge on what is happening around the world. With this knowledge, you can feel more in touch with our current political climate and understand more about what world leadership looks like.
“I think the most beneficial part of the experience is the general assembly. You get the opportunity to talk in front of large groups of people, ask questions, and use your own knowledge of the world. I think it’s a great way to gain those skills. MUN definitely puts into perspective how difficult an agreement is to make because so many different delegates have differing information, opinions, and best interests for their countries. It puts it into perspective on how hard it can be to compromise,” said Cheyenne Harvey.
Overall, the Model United Nations is the perfect opportunity to show your skills, learn about what is really happening in our world, and maybe even acquire some new friends and leadership roles along the way.
“MUN shows you a lot about the world, you get to learn everything politics related, and you gain lots of global awareness. You should absolutely take advantage of this opportunity if you’re interested in everything it brings,” said Owen Zheng.
If you are interested, make sure to join Wheeling Parks Youth Leadership Association, which meets during week 1 club periods. It never hurts to learn new things about yourself and the world around you.
