Whittier Tech Model UN Team Shines at UML Conference

*Back Row, left-to-right: Mr. Snowden, Mr. Robertson, Maxx Levesque, Isaias George, Connor Swales, Shaina Santiago*
*Front Row, left-to-right: Nathaniel Shramko, Emily Boyington, Alyssa Wood, Angel Katzen, Joseph Parisi, Ms. Brown*

Whittier’s Model United Nations team showcased their exceptional skills and talent at the UMass Lowell Model United Nations competition held on April 5-6, 2023. The event, which was the largest UN conference organized by UMass Lowell to date, saw the participation of several local schools including North Andover, Chelmsford, Lowell, Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical, Burlington, and others.

A total of fourteen Whittier students participated in this highly competitive event, engaging in debates on pressing world issues. Assigned to various committees, the students tackled topics such as reaching a peaceful resolution to the dispute between Venezuela and Guyana, combating cyber attacks on NATO member countries, addressing global tax evasion by multinational corporations, and more.

The Whittier Model UN team's outstanding performance was a testament to their dedication and hard work. Throughout the conference, the students actively contributed to discussions, impressing both their peers and the judges. Their ability to articulate ideas and collaborate with students from other schools on a wide range of global issues was commendable.

Ms. Brown, one of the Model UN advisors, expressed her pride in the students' achievements, stating, "I am so proud of our students! Each time we walked into a room, our students were speaking. They were very active. It is very rewarding to see how students' skills have improved throughout the year! The team represented themselves and the school very well!"

Mr. Snowden, another Model UN advisor, also praised the students' efforts and preparation, which led to their remarkable results. He said, "Our students had such an impressive performance at UMass Lowell! We often saw them driving debate and conversation forward in their committees. Their effort and preparation led to great results!"

Mr. Robertson, another advisor for the Whittier Model UN team, commented on the caliber of debate, saying, "The caliber of debate was collegiate level and beyond, our students really shined with their abilities to communicate their ideas and collaborate with students from other schools in meaningful ways on a plethora of world issues."

The Whittier Model UN team's success was further highlighted by the individual awards received by two of its members. Isaias George, a senior, received an Honorable Mention (3rd place) in the Economic and Social Council committee, while Nathaniel Shramko, also a senior, secured the Outstanding Delegate award (2nd place) in the Security Council committee.

The Whittier Model UN team would like to extend their gratitude to their advisors, Jana Brown, Scott Robertson, and Dan Snowden, for their guidance and support throughout the conference.

Students who participated: