With the completion of their final conference at Lyons Township (LYMUN), Model UN is officially finished with this year’s season. The team is looking back at their accomplishments (and trophies) with pride and excitement for next year.  

“We did four conferences: three local conferences and the one in Lansing, Michigan,” Adam Gearing, the club’s sponsor, said. “Our delegates did very well. We’ve won awards at every single conference we went to this year and in some instances several. Of course, that’s not what it’s really about; it’s about the experience. I think everyone in the club that participated in these conferences this year really benefited from the experience. It was apparent to me that people were very active in the conferences and participated in a substantive way.”

This kind of success is not uncommon for the club. In the past few years, York’s MUN (Model United Nations) team has grown in membership and wins some kind of award or recognition at nearly every conference they attend.

“We just continued on the same trajectory, which is upward,” Gearing said. “There’s great continuity in terms of officers in the club who provide leadership to their peers. That’s become sort of a tradition; we’ve had phenomenal leadership going back several years now. That seems to continue based on the examples set by previous groups of club officers.”

One of these leaders is the club’s president Annie Grasse. As president of the club for the past two years, and a club officer the year before, she has given a lot of her time to the club. The impact this time has had on her abilities and worldview is something she can easily identify.

“Model UN has been one of the clubs that I’ve been extremely involved with throughout all four years of my high school career,” Grasse said. “Being in this club has really taught me how to work with people. A major aspect of Model UN is collaboration and working with people rather than working against them. One of the biggest takeaways Model UN has given me is my interest in current events and changing my worldview on different politics and opening my eyes to different points of view in the world.”

Along with Annie Grasse, many other graduating seniors are leaving the team this year bringing with them fond memories and useful skills gained from their time with the club.

“Model UN has taught me many things,” Senior Dylan Foley said. “In conference, it’s taught me how to effectively communicate my ideas and how to listen to other members in order to create fruitful dialogue. Out of conference, it taught me how important it is to be outgoing and to be excited about what you do. I think a lot of other schools know York for our enthusiasm and energy.”

Almost always the highlight of the year, York attended a conference in Lansing, Michigan called CASC (Canadian-American Security Councils). During this two day conference, club members engaged in two full days of debate and stay overnight in a hotel. This conference always provides a good bonding experience for the team.  

“One of my favorite memories from Model UN is this year at CASC,” Junior Madeleine Small said. “The 20 of us that went had a lot of fun both in committee as well as getting to know each other just hanging out.”

With fond memories and optimism for the future, York Model UN is finishing their season and saying goodbye to the incredible roster of seniors that have helped grow the club into what it is today.

“We’re gonna miss them,” Gearing said. “Sometimes we think: ‘gosh, we’re not gonna be able to fill those shoes’ and you never quite can because everybody’s their own person. But other people step up and I have no doubt that that’s going to happen next year. I know we have some younger members that have been in the leadership this year that are going to step up and do their job.”