Columbia Falls students top-5 at Model UN

MISSOULA – More than 250 students from 12 Montana and Idaho high schools participated in the 57th annual Montana Model United Nations Conference, hosted in November at the University of Montana.

UM Provost Dr. Pardis Mahdavi welcomed students and their advisers to campus and shared her own personal experiences growing up in Iran. Joanna Shelton, a UM economics faculty affiliate and nonresident senior associate in economics for the Center for Strategic and International Studies, gave a keynote speech titled “Global Cooperation in a Fragmented World.”

The top five high school seniors were Melina LaPlante, Eden Maxwell and Ashley Kim of Hellgate High School in Missoula, as well as Aiden Rohn and Eddie Chisholm of Columbia Falls High School in Columbia Falls. Each will be offered a $1,000 scholarship to attend UM.

Schools also won awards at the conclusion of the conference. Participating schools were divided into small and large delegations based on the number of students attending and were judged on the overall preparedness, participation and excellence of their delegates. The three school award categories include Outstanding School for the top 10%, Distinguished School for the top 20% and Honorable School for the top 30%.

The small-delegation school winner was Bozeman High School in Bozeman, advised by Jason Nagel and Amy Wallner-Drake. The large delegation winner was Hellgate High Scholl in Missoula, advised by Courtney Christopher and Jeff Waniata.

Fritz Bieler, the school adviser from Jefferson High School in Boulder, celebrated his 30th anniversary as a Model UN adviser. He was awarded a plaque celebrating his achievement and commitment to Montana Model United Nations. The top 20% of teams representing countries and students who attended the conference also received awards, as did UM students who planned and staffed the conference. A full list of all winners is below.

The 2023 Montana Model United Nations conference is planned for Nov. 20-21, 2023.

I. General Assembly First Committee

Honorable Delegates (Top 20%)

Glacier High School, Jamaica, Ethan Wood

Glacier High School, Indonesia, Calvin Schmidt

Glacier High School, Ireland, Kevin Fortin

Distinguished Delegates (Top 10%) – Certificate

Flathead High School, Albania, Derek McDonough

Outstanding Delegates (Top 1-2%) – Medals

Columbia Falls High School, Venezuela, Aiden Rohn

II. General Assembly Second Committee

Honorable Delegates (Top 20%)

Flathead High School, Australia, Aereck Haroldson

Distinguished Delegates (Top 10%) – Certificate

Columbia Falls High School, Venezuela, Eddie Chisholm

III. United Nations Environment Agency

Honorable Delegates (Top 20%)

Flathead High School, Albania, Rachel Ottman

Columbia Falls High School, Venezuela, Brayden Crawford

Columbia Falls High School, Canada, Colton Little

Distinguished Delegates (Top 10%)

Flathead High School, Australia, Emmary Faerber

Flathead High School, Portugal, Kenna Anderson

IV. United Nations Human Right Council

Honorable Delegates (Top 20%)

Glacier High School, Indonesia, Blake Lindemann

Distinguished Delegates (Top 10%)

Flathead High School, India, Gabe Reddish

Glacier High School, Eritrea, Cadence Murcray

V. Security Council

Honorable Delegate (Top 20%)

Flathead High School, India, Rylin Wilde

Position Paper Awards

Honorable Position Papers (Top 20%)

Columbia Falls High School, Canada, Colton Little

Distinguished Position Papers (Top 10 %) Certificate

Flathead High School, Bolivia, Tayen Lackey

Flathead High School, Albania, Neila Lyngholm

Outstanding Position Papers (Top 1-2%) Medals

Flathead High School, India, Gabe Reddish

Flathead High School, India, Rylin Wilde

Flathead High School, Portugal, Kenna Anderson

Top 25 Seniors all medals

Top 5 (Scholarship Recipients)

Columbia Falls High School, Venezuela, Aiden Rohn

Columbia Falls High School, Venezuela, Eddie Chisholm

Remaining Top Seniors (Reserve Scholarship Recipients)

Flathead High School, Portugal, Kenna Anderson

Flathead High School, India, Gabe Reddish

Glacier High School, Eritrea, Cadence Murcray

Flathead High School, Australia, Luke Leech

Glacier High School, Jamaica, Ethan Wood

Columbia Falls High School, Venezuela, Celestine Young

Glacier High School, Ireland, Aidan Walker

Columbia Falls High School, Canada, Braeden Fairchild

Glacier High School, Indonesia, Calvin Schmidt

Flathead High School, India, Thomas Konopka

Flathead High School, India, Connor Adcox

Country Awards

Honorable Country Delegations (top 20%) – Verbal commendation

India, Flathead High School

Canada, Columbia Falls High School

Distinguished Country Delegations (top 10%) - Certificate

Albania, Flathead High School

Australia, Flathead High School

Outstanding Country Delegations (top 5%) – Plaque

Venezuela, Columbia Falls High School

School Awards

Honorable Schools (top 30%)

Small Delegation, Glacier High School, Beau Wright

Distinguished Schools (top 20%)

Large Delegation, Flathead High School, Sean O’Donnell