CARLSBAD — Students from Pacific Ridge School made their mark at the Jan. 17 Columbia Model United Nations Conference and Exposition (CMUNCE) at Columbia University and were recognized for their contributions. Sean Straw of Carlsbad received the Best Delegate Award.Honorable Mention awards went to Ciara Corbeil of Oceanside, Hunter Headapohl of Rancho Santa Fe, Delaney Miller of Encinitas and Maddie Sparber and Megan Thode of Rancho Santa Fe.
The Model UN experience helps student delegates understand the complex workings of politics and international affairs. This is achieved by simulating United Nations committees and challenging crises, both of which encourage delegates to think critically and creatively, and to collaborate and compromise with each other. Committees represented at CMUNCE spanned the Russian Security Council to the Paris Peace Conference to Occupy Wall Street, with a wide range of intense crises. In keeping with the Model UN theme of weaving advanced technology into the conference, CMUNCE allowed each committee to host a Twitter feed that provided important updates and insights for committees.
