This weekend, groups of high schoolers dressed in suits, some from as far away as Mexico and Greece, could be seen parading the sidewalks near the Union.
The students were participating in the MSU Model United Nations, or MSUMUN, Conference — an event hosted for high school students by MSUMUN. At the conference, about 600 high schoolers participated in United Nations simulations, working to pass proposals and resolutions to real-world issues affecting countries across the globe.
The conference took place from Friday to Sunday at the Union and the Lansing Center, 333 E. Michigan Ave., in Lansing.
High schoolers at the conference were split into 17 committees, each headed by about three MSU student volunteers, said Kaitlynn Colbert, a social relations and policy senior who helped run the conference.
“The high school students spend about 12 hours in different committee sessions,” Colbert said. “The main goal is to pass resolutions that have been set out by the leadership conference.”
Colbert added that the conference benefits both high school students and college volunteers as it provides high school students a chance to interact with college students and learn more about United Nations.
Richard Hammonds, a senior at Lahser High School in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., who attended the conference this weekend, was part of a committee that replicated the New York City Council, and he represented District No. 42, the borough of Brooklyn, he said.
In his committee, homelessness, education reform and terrorism preparedness were hot issues, he said, adding he was impressed with the way the MSU student volunteers who were the chairpersons of his committee handled the simulation.
“The chairs really let us come up with our own resolutions,” he said. “I think it is appropriate that way — it allows us to tap into our own problem-solving abilities.”
Caroline Whittland, a senior at Forest Hills Northern High School in Grand Rapids, also participated in the simulation during the weekend and was on the New York City Council committee. She said compared to the two other conferences she attended this year, MSU’s conference had the best opportunities to debate and make resolutions.
“Some of the other conferences weren’t focused as much on the spirit of Model United Nations as much as having fun,” Whittland said.
Both Whittland and Hammonds said they learned more about what a real United Nations conference might be like during the weekend. Hammonds added he feels more worldly after the conference.
“It’s not enough to be a U.S. citizen; you have to be a citizen of the world,” he said.
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