Students address global issues with diplomacy at Model UN

Success in Model United Nations hinges on negotiating with adversaries and allies alike through effective debates, speeches, caucuses and drafted resolutions.  

About 100 student-delegates from Flathead, Glacier and Columbia Falls public high schools and Heritage Academy were up to the task at the Montana Model United Nations Conference held Nov. 25 and 26 at the University of Montana. 

They were among 350 student-delegates from 14 Montana and Idaho schools tasked with cooperating in the United Nations simulation.  

Top honors went to the Flathead teams representing Russia and Brazil, ranking in the top 5%. Flathead’s overall performance ranking in the top 10% of participating schools with large delegations netted an Outstanding Schools award. Flathead Model UN is advised by Sean O’Donnell. Glacier High School, which is advised by Beau Wright, received an Outstanding Schools award in the small delegation category. 

“The most important lesson students gain from participating in Model UN is the ability to compromise and reach consensus with their fellow delegates. Each student represents a nation with its own viewpoint on the critical issues facing the world,” O’Donnell said. “In an era where the ability to listen, negotiate and compromise with political opponents is such a critical, and often absent, trait, it is a wonderful opportunity for our future leaders to practice those skills.”   

Heritage Academy in Evergreen and Columbia Falls were recognized as Distinguished Schools (top 20%) in the large and small delegation categories, respectively. Jenny Lovering advises the Columbia Falls Model UN program and the advisers for Heritage Academy are Susan Wagner and Buffy Lloyd. 

DURING THE conference, students served on one of the following: Assembly First Committee (disarmament and security issues), General Assembly Second Committee (economic and financial issues), Environment Assembly, Security Council and Human Rights Council. 

To be a successful delegate, students study the country they represent — its geography and culture, political system, leadership, political issues, economic and social conditions, foreign affairs and allies. 

Three students from the valley made the cut into the top five seniors and will be offered $1,000 scholarships to attend the University of Montana: Columbia Falls’ Quinn Caudle, Flathead’s Michael Palmer and Glacier’s Wyatt Jensen. 

Caudle, who represented Algeria on the Human Rights Council, ranked in the top 1% to 2% of participating delegates. Palmer, who represented Russia on the General Assembly First Committee ranked in the top 10% and his position paper in the top 20%. Representing the Dominican Republic on the General Assembly Second Committee, Jensen rose to the top 10% of participating delegates. 

Other standout performances came from Flathead’s Brett Pesola and Jack Blodgett who also represented Russia. Pesola served on the Security Council, and Blodgett, on the Environment Assembly, their efforts ranking in the top 1% to 2% of their respective events. 

This is Blodgett’s second time participating in the Montana Model UN Conference. Last year, he represented China on the United Nations Development Programme. He said it’s important to pay attention to the world and look at issues from multiple perspectives, although he contended that it’s “no easy feat” representing a country viewed unfavorably. He also competes on the speech and debate team in Public Forum Debate. 

“It helps a lot with building communication skills with people who fundamentally disagree with you,” Blodgett said. “If you get enough people to advocate for your side, it’s such a powerful skill.” 

Despite the challenge Flathead students may have had in representing Russia, Blodgett said it was different finding common ground in addressing environmental topics such as marine plastic pollution and tourism as opposed to other issues. The General Assembly First Committee, for example, was tasked with the topic of addressing lethal autonomous weapon systems. 

“While Russia is at war, I stressed very early on that the environment should be apolitical,” Blodget said. “I said you should sign a resolution because you care about the environment not because I represent Russia.” 

Position papers earning a place in the top 1% to 2% were Flathead students Logan Yuasa-Green, who represented Croatia, and Brigham Schow, who represented the Netherlands. Both served on the General Assembly First Committee. 

Students also had the opportunity to hear from keynote speaker, Owen Sirrs, a cultural instructor at the Mansfield Center, former intelligence analyst and author of “Iran’s Qods Force: Proxy Wars, Terrorism, and the War on America.” Students also heard from university faculty speak on the various topics. 

Following is a list of top local students with the school they are from and the countries they represent in addition to country awards. 

Delegate Awards 

General Assembly First Committee 

Outstanding Delegates (top 1-2%)  

Cheyann Kesteleyn of Flathead, Eritrea

Distinguished Delegates (top 10%)  

Michael Palmer of Flathead, Russia

Fenton Liebe-Cohen of Flathead, Maldives 

Honorable Delegates (top 20%) 

Lincoln McElwain of Flathead, Qatar

Logan Yuasa-Green of Flathead, Croatia

Aiden Downing of Flathead, Macedonia

Oliver Hartle of Flathead, Netherlands

General Assembly Second Committee

Distinguished Delegates (top 10%)  

Wyatt Jensen of Glacier, Dominican Republic

Loren Connors of Columbia Falls, Finland

Thomas Dixon of Flathead, Eritrea 

Honorable Delegates (top 20%) 

John Provo of Flathead, New Zealand

Keegan West of Flathead, Malaysia

Elinor Anderson of Heritage, China

United Nations Environment Assembly

Outstanding Delegates (top 1-2%)

Owen Carpenter of Glacier, Norway

Jack Blodgett of Flathead, Russia

Distinguished Delegates (top 10%)

Josh Lee of Glacier, Australia

Abigail O'Connell of Flathead, Brazil

Brigham Schow of Flathead, Netherlands

Honorable Delegates (top 20%)

Jack Bell of Heritage, Liechtenstein

Teddy Cotton of Heritage, Egypt

B. Poitra of Flathead, Qatar

Emeline Bell of Heritage, China

Gunnar Weckwerth of Flathead, Malaysia

Noah Longenecker of Heritage, Romania 

United Nations Human Rights Council

Outstanding Delegates (top 1-2%)

Quinn Caudle of Columbia Falls, Algeria

Distinguished Delegates (top 10%)

Jake Milone of Flathead, Brazil

Honorable Delegates (top 20%)

Dalton Howser of Flathead, Eritrea

Anya Denmark of Glacier, Costa Rica

Bronson Wilcutt of Flathead, Malaysia

Security Council

Outstanding Delegate (top 1-2%)

Brett Pesola of Flathead, Russia 

Position Paper Awards

Outstanding Position Papers (top 1-2%)

Logan Yuasa-Green of Flathead, Croatia

Brigham Schow of Flathead, Netherlands

Distinguished Position Papers (top 10 %)

Fenton Liebe-Cohen of Flathead, Maldives

Parker Holden of Flathead, New Zealand

Jake Milone of Flathead, Brazil

Jack Provo of Flathead, Maldives

Jack Bell of Heritage, Liechtenstein

Honorable Position Papers (top 20%)

Michael Palmer of Flathead, Russia

Tabor Opper of Flathead, Bahamas

Brynn Mason of Heritage, China

Natalie Young of Flathead, Netherlands

Quinn Caudle of Columbia Falls, Algeria

Joshua Potts of Heritage, China

Thomas Bertram of Flathead, Brazil

Thomas Dixon of Flathead, Eritrea

Madison Geiger of Flathead, Maldives

Elle Sauer of Flathead, Netherlands

Gunnar Weckwerth of Flathead, Malaysia

Noah Longenecker of Heritage, Romania

Emeline Bell of Heritage Academy, China

Abigail O'Connell of Flathead, Brazil

Seniors in the top 5 (out of 30)

Quinn Caudle of Columbia Falls, Algeria, Human Rights Council 

Michael Palmer of Flathead, Russia, General Assembly First Committee

Wyatt Jensen of Glacier, Dominican Republic, General Assembly Second Committee

Remaining local seniors in the top 30

Owen Carpenter of Glacier, Norway, Environment Assembly

Brett Pesola of Flathead, Russia, Security Council

Jack Blodgett of Flathead, Russia, Environment Assembly

Jack Bell of Heritage, Liechtenstein, Environment Assembly

Atticus Cheman of Glacier, Australia General Assembly First Committee

Brogan Lancaster of Heritage, Liechtenstein, General Assembly First Committee

Katie Miletich of Flathead, New Zealand, Environment Assembly

Kennady Garvin of Glacier, Costa Rica, Environment Assembly

Aiden Downing of Flathead, Macedonia, General Assembly First Committee

Country Awards

Outstanding Country Delegations (top 5%)

Flathead High School team representing Russia

Flathead High School team representing Brazil

Distinguished Country Delegations (top 10%)

Flathead High School team representing Eritrea

Columbia Falls High School team representing Finland

Glacier High School team representing Australia

Honorable Country Delegations (top 20%)

Flathead High School team representing Maldives

Flathead High School team representing Malaysia

Flathead High School team representing New Zealand

Flathead High School team representing Qatar

Heritage Academy team representing Liechtenstein

Heritage Academy team representing Romania  

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.