Local students simulate U.N. sessions

Twenty-four Flathead Valley students recently attended the Montana Model United Nations Conference in Missoula.

Eight local home-school students and 16 from Flathead High School represented seven countries at the conference, which drew 400 students from 18 Montana and Idaho schools. The conference took place Nov. 22 and 23 at the University of Montana.

The conference allows high school students to participate in simulations of United Nations sessions.

They debate, negotiate, caucus, draft and vote on resolutions that address world issues.

How successful a student’s experience is depends on how well he or she adopts the mindset of the country he or she represents.

Each student participates in one of five committees: General Assembly Plenary, General Assembly First Committee (disarmament and security), General Assembly Second Committee (economic and financial), General Assembly Third Committee (social and humanitarian) or Security Council.

Logan Van Fleet, Olivia Van Fleet, Sarah Kirchner, Kyrah Kirchner, Anna Kirchner, Jenae Roedel, John Blouin and Ellery Luikens were the home-school students who attended the conference.

They represented the Netherlands and Turkey.

Sarah Kirchner and Luikens won two of eight awards given for writing outstanding position papers.

Kirchner also was selected as one of the top 20 seniors at the conference, and Roedel and Luikens were ranked in the top 20 percent of their committees.

Flathead Valley Home School came in second place as Best Small School.

Emily Stoick, Accacia Gardner, Tierney Strandberg, Elena Musz, Hannah Anderson, Sarah Vaughn, Ashley Schumacher, Josh Woodring, Ben Mason, Bria Frame, Laura Johnson, Danielle Bowen, Brianna Kretske, Jonathan Pfeifer, Katie Brown and Ryleigh Cameron attended from Flathead High.

They represented China, Sierra Leone, Ireland, Cambodia and Argentina.

Stoick was named a top five senior and was offered a $1,000 scholarship to the University of Montana. She, Gardner, Strandberg and Woodring were named Outstanding Delegates — students who were in the top 10 percent of their committees.

Cameron and Musz received honorable mention, reserved for students who were in the top 20 percent of their committees, and Strandberg and Gardner were named among the top 20 seniors.

Flathead received honorable mention for Best School; it was among the top four.