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McKendree University Hosts 14 Local High Schools During Three-Day Model UN Event

by Tina Napper

Lebanon, IL (03/07/2025) — McKendree University hosted its annual Model United Nations conference on campus from March 4-6. More than 327 student delegates from 14 local high schools attended and participated in this event, representing over 70 countries. The university has been hosting its Model UN conference for more than 50 years, making it the fourth-longest running high school Model UN conference in the nation.

Model UN provides students with an opportunity to learn how the UN operates and to practice their public speaking, debate, negotiation and team leadership skills. Participants take on roles as diplomats representing a country, investigating international issues, negotiating with allies and adversaries, and developing solutions to world problems. Many of today's leaders in law, government, business, the arts and also the UN participated in Model UN as high school and college students.

Participating high schools and the countries they represented include the following:

  • Althoff Catholic High School: Jamaica and the United Kingdom.
  • Belleville East High School: Canada, India, Kazakhstan, Norway, Serbia, and South Korea.
  • Belleville West High School: Malta, Mexico, Nigeria, Ukraine, and the United States.
  • Christian Brothers College High School: Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates.
  • Freeburg High School: Australia, Denmark, Guatemala, Portugal, Switzerland, and Thailand.
  • Gibault Catholic High School: Belgium, Mongolia, and Sierra Leone.
  • Highland High School: Algeria, Brazil, Haiti, Romania, Sweden, and Syria.
  • Lebanon High School: Japan.
  • Mascoutah High School: Germany, Guyana, Iran, and Singapore.
  • O'Fallon Township High School: Austria, North Korea, Republic of the Congo, Cuba, France, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Morocco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Spain, Venezuela, and Vietnam.
  • Okawville Jr./Sr. High School: Afghanistan and Russia.
  • Pana High School: Lebanon and Mozambique.
  • Triad High School: Burkina Faso, El Salvador, Greece, Ireland, Laos, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, South Africa, and Turkiye.
  • Valmeyer High School: Argentina and China.

Representing Slovenia, Triad High School won the Outstanding Delegation Award. Receiving Superior Delegation Awards were O'Fallon Township High School representing France and Valmeyer High School representing China. Belleville East High School representing South Korea earned an honorable mention.

Additional Outstanding Delegate awards are as follows:

  • General Assembly:
    • Outstanding: Izzi Haynes of Triad High School, representing Burkina Faso.
    • Superior: Wyatt Boyer of Triad High School, representing Slovenia; Mira Plexico of Freeburg High School, representing Switzerland.
    • Honorable Mention: Logan Fry of Triad High School, representing Saudi Arabia; Chris Teschner of Christian Brothers College High School, representing Kuwait; Anna Robinson of O'Fallon Township High School, representing France.
  • First Committee - Disarmament:
    • Outstanding: Morgana Barnett of Triad High School, representing Turkiye.
    • Superior: Nathan Carroll of O'Fallon Township High School, representing France; Tyler Rottmann of Highland High School, representing Algeria.
    • Honorable Mention: Keegan Varacalli of Triad High School, representing Ireland; Connor Green of Triad High School, representing Greece; Benjamin Woodburn of Mascoutah High School, representing Iran.
  • Third Committee - Social, Cultural and Humanitarian Committee:
    • Outstanding: Eli Schmidt of O'Fallon Township High School, representing France.
    • Superior: Loegon Pete of Belleville East High School, representing South Korea; Jaden Williams of Belleville East High School, representing India.
    • Honorable Mention: Theodore Pipas of O'Fallon Township High School, representing the Philippines; Serina Nation of Triad High School, representing Greece; Jacq Harrison of Triad High School, representing South Africa.
  • Sixth Committee - Legal:
    • Outstanding: Drake Barmann of Valmeyer High School, representing China.
    • Superior: Emma Shrage of Highland High School, representing Algeria; Daniel Winfield of Triad High School, representing Slovenia.
    • Honorable Mention: Ava Hunter of Triad High School, representing Greece; Jack Pendleton of Christian Brothers College High School, representing Jordan; Jerry Overmann of Christian Brothers College High School, representing Kuwait.
  • Economic and Social Council
    • Outstanding: Braden Sexton of Triad High School, representing Slovenia.
    • Superior: Rebekah Kreighbaum of Freeburg High School, representing Switzerland; Jackson Gruen of Highland High School, representing Syria.
    • Honorable Mention: Eric Chappius of Valmeyer High School, representing China; Riley Mackey of Highland High School, representing Haiti; Anthony Knebel of Highland High School, representing Algeria.
  • Science and Technology Committee
    • Outstanding: Brady Donahue of O'Fallon Township High School, representing France.
    • Superior: Aryamun Karla of Belleville East High School, representing South Korea; Peyton Anderson of Triad High School, representing Slovenia.
    • Honorable Mention: Amelia Branson of Triad High School, representing Burkina Faso; Kayla Hout of Triad High School, representing Ireland; Elizabeth Maroon of Highland High School, representing Algeria.
  • Human Rights Council
    • Outstanding: Meia Jaggie of Valmeyer High School, representing China.
    • Superior: Xavier Carter of Triad High School, representing El Salvador; Elliott Davisson of Belleville East High School, representing South Korea.
    • Honorable Mention: Liam Greene of Freeburg High School, representing Switzerland; Sadie Dukart of Triad High School, representing Turkiye; Andrew Reed of Mascoutah High School, representing Iran.
  • World Health Organization
    • Outstanding: Ru Fuller of Triad High School, representing Slovenia.
    • Superior: Laura Cook of Okawville Jr./Sr. High School, representing Russia.
    • Honorable Mention: Katherine Baldwin of Belleville East High School, representing South Korea.
  • Security Council
    • Outstanding: Oscar Hoerr of Valmeyer High School, representing China.
    • Superior: Isiah Hoover of Freeburg High School, representing Switzerland.
    • Honorable Mention: Elias Hunsdorfer of Belleville West High School, representing the United States.
  • Resolution Awards
    • Outstanding: Xavier Carter of Triad High School, representing El Salvador.
    • Superior: Megan Wiesemann of Highland High School, representing Algeria; David Winfield of Triad High School, representing Slovenia.
    • Honorable Mention: Aryamun Karla of Belleville East High School, representing South Korea; Anna Robinson of O'Fallon Township High School, representing France; Jacq Harrison of Triad High School, representing South Africa.
  • Policy Statement Awards
    • Outstanding: Max Merchiori of Belleville East High School, representing South Korea.
    • Superior: Eric Chappius of Valmeyer High School, representing China.
    • Honorable Mention: Eli Schmidt of O'Fallon Township High School, representing France.
  • Position Paper Awards
    • Outstanding: Landon Carper of Triad High School, representing Slovenia.
    • Superior: Connor Pearce of Triad High School, representing Turkiye; Paul Rivera of O'Fallon Township High School, representing France.
    • Honorable Mention: Ava McClellan of Valmeyer High School, representing China; Ava Robinson of O'Fallon Township High School, representing France; Serina Nation or Triad High School, representing Greece.

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