Students Travel to the San Francisco Model UN Conference
By Sophia Rosenkranz ’23
A group of 18 Parker students from the Model United Nations club traveled to San Francisco with Upper School history teachers and Model UN faculty advisors Kevin Conlon and Jeanne Barr. They traveled to participate in the first of two domestic Model UN conferences this year, after a two-year pause due to the pandemic.
Model UN is a club that runs internationally and ensures dialogue about current and historical events. The club seeks to find creative and unique approaches to solutions by representing different perspectives as delegates. The Parker Model UN program has symposiums held after school to practice a variety of skills such as public speaking, policy writing and delegating. Parker also offers the opportunity to attend conferences both domestically and internationally.
The San Francisco Model United Nations conference was held at Lowell High School December 11 and 12. The students explored San Francisco prior to the conference and had the opportunity to go visit Alcatraz, travel in cable cars and learn about the city of San Francisco. During the Model UN conference, students debated in many committees such as the United Nations Security Council, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Brundtland Commision and the 1929 Atlantic City Crime Conference. The Parker delegation was recognized with 12 individual awards, and Francis W. Parker School was named the Outstanding Delegation.
Francis W. Parker School educates students to think and act with empathy, courage and clarity as responsible citizens and leaders in a diverse democratic society and global community.