Kent Place Students Gain Global Perspective

On Jan. 26, 24 Upper School students traveled to the University of Pennsylvania to participate in the ILMUNC. The annual conference gathers thousands of students from around the world for a weekend of stimulating debate, hands-on learning, negotiation, and consensus-building.

The student cohort was made up of diverse committees, ranging from traditional Model UN committees to unconventional crisis simulations. The committees challenged and engaged delegates as they sought to address some of the most relevant and interesting global issues facing the international community. Kent Place represented the countries of Ireland and Bhutan.

“Our girls had a successful competition. They initiated conversations with delegates from other countries, developed acceptable working papers and wrote resolutions that were passed in committee,” states Kent Place History Teacher Reba Petraitis.

Sophomore Ivana Kohut, of West Orange, was part of the Special, Political and Decolonization Committee in the general assembly. Kohut's committee discussed topics such as the uprisings in the MENA region and the Arab Spring.

“The chairs were excellent at moderating the debates and I learned a lot from my peers in a setting that was so different from a classroom. There were people from all over the world in my committee speaking, debating and trying to solve world problems.” Kohut continues, “We wrote resolutions and I had an opportunity not only to better understand the problems facing our world, but also to learn how other countries feel about these issues.”

The benefit of developing global perspective through participation in the conference was palpable for the Kent Place student attendees.

“Model UN is one of my best high school experiences. I love becoming more aware of what is going on globally and being introduced to other worldviews,” notes senior Andrea Melesius of Warren. “The Model UN club and this trip should be something that all students take advantage of if they have the opportunity.”  
 “I think this conference really helps to develop public speaking skills. I was able to get in front of 200 people in my committee and speak cogently about the topic we were discussing,” highlights junior Colleen Sheridan of Westfield. “The ILMUNC was really a great experience. I now have a taste of what actually occurs at the UN and I certainly have become more globally aware.”

High standards, unlimited opportunities and encouragement shape the learning environment in the Kent Place Upper School. It provides an intense learning experience that helps students grow as critical thinkers, problem solvers, leaders and global citizens. For more information about where girls learn to lead, visitwww.kentplace.org.

—From Kent Place School