BHSEC Model UN Team Concludes Successful Season
Eli Frankel ‘18
May 2016
On Sunday, May 15, citizens of the world watched in horror as ISIS terrorized Europe with the “Day of Terror,” the American democratic system collapsed, Turkey committed genocide, and both the leader of the Free Syrian Army and the leader of Turkey were assassinated. All this happened as international leaders met at Bard Hall at the Bard Graduate Center to resolve the issue of Syrian civil war. Evidently, the meeting was nothing short of a disaster, wrought with conflict and devoid of partnership.
This meeting was that of the BHSEC Model United Nations Team, where students acted as powerful world leaders ranging from high up ISIS ministers to the US Secretary of State. The representative of ISIS was Max Shatan, 10th grade, who later won the Outstanding delegate award. Our other outstanding delegate, Theo Spohngellert, 10th grade, acted as US Secretary of State, John Kerry, as he attempted to save the world from a third world war. The winner of our best delegate award, Max Neuman, Year Two, played the role of Bashar al-Assad, and attempted, despite stiff opposition, to save his Syrian government.
Crisis Staffers Maya Rubin and Chris Stauffer, both tenth graders, directed the conference with the creation of fictional crises for the delegates to resolve as an international community. The conference began with a relatively small crisis: the collapse of a Syrian dam that caused severe flooding. Soon, delegates moved to fix the dam, and encountered a new, larger crisis. This crisis was that of ISIS’s aggression in Europe and American troops in Syria, resulting only in increased animosity between international leaders. The downfall of Assad’s Syria and the destruction of European cities were the ultimate results. Stanislava Rodionova, honorable delegate award winner, succinctly described the conference as the fictional beginning or World War III.
The BHSEC team at HESCHMUN.
Credit: Theo Spohngellert ‘18
The following weekend, the BHSEC Model UN team attended the Heschel Model United Nations Conference (HeschMUN), where BHSEC’s finest competed against high school students from all over the city. Our very own Theo Spohngellert was awarded Outstanding Delegate for representing Lebanon in the United Nations Human Rights Council. An Outstanding Delegate award was also given to Chris Stauffer who represented Lebanon in the Historical Committee. Maya Rubin, representing Lebanon in the General Assembly Plenary Committee, also won Outstanding Delegate, and Livia Miller won Outstanding Delegate for representing Sweden in the Social and Humanitarian Committee. Needless to say, the BHSEC Model UN team was successful as they rivalled teams from New York’s top schools.
The Heschel Model United Nations Conference ended the year for BHSEC’s Model UN team. But Model UN is more than just a game. As Under Secretary of Conferences, Theo Spohngellert, said, “Model UN has enhanced the way that I think not only as a speaker, but also as a writer. I am now more confident when I speak about geopolitical issues whether I'm in a classroom or a committee room, and that can be attributed to my participation in Model UN.” Model UN is an activity that rewards delegates, that provides all those who participate with a greater sense of place in the international community, and that enhances the writing, speaking, and intellectual capacity of all participants.
For all those interested in joining the BHSEC Model UN team, please email bhsecmun@gmail.com, or join the team’s facebook group - “BHSEC Model United Nations.”