Rachel Carson Model United Nations Club: Information and Tryout Procedures

What is Model UN?Model UN is a national club in which students compete and train their public speaking and critical thinking skills while dealing with global issues.

There are two main parts to Model UN Club:

➔ Meetings ◆ Thursday in Mr. Corman’s room (B210)◆ Expected to attend at least 80% of all meetings

➔ Conferences ◆ Occur about once a month◆ Happen on Saturdays, though some are Friday night

and Saturday conferences◆ Members are required to attend at least 4 conferences

throughout the year

ATTENTION!!

Conferences are the main point of joining Model UN. Students should not consider joining if they are unable to attend meetings and weekend conferences on a regular basis!

Conferences➔ Take place at area schools on

Saturdays (or Friday/Saturday)➔ One in the spring will require

attendees to stay overnight in Richmond. Parents must chaperone

➔ Include fees ($20-40) to attend➔ Require preparation ahead of

time (position paper)➔ Require formal attire (Western

Business Attire) such as skirts, ties, jackets, and dress shoes

What will I get out of MUN?

Short Answer: A lot

➔ Improved public speaking skills

➔ More confidence when speaking

➔ Advanced research skills that will last a lifetime

➔ Increased awareness of world issues

➔ Diplomatic skills

Remember:

All of these skills are a KEY to success in the future!

Sounds like fun! What do I need to do to join the club?

Joining the RCMS Model UN

Club is a two-step process:

➔ First Round - position

paper essay

➔ Second Round - short

speech, based on your

position paper, presented

to a panel of judges

First RoundWrite a position paper about the assigned topic that:

➔ is between 2-5 pages (including citations). Be concise!

➔ Contains:◆ A short history of the issue◆ The issue today◆ Solution(s) to fix the issue◆ Citations (MLA)

➔ Email paper to modelunrcms@gmail.com

➔ NO LATER than 11:59 p.m. on September 21 (No late submissions accepted)

Everyone who submits a position paper will be notified via email by September 25 whether or not they have qualified to move on to the second round on September 27.

~ THE TOPIC ~

Rising tensions over the North Korean nuclear

program

Provide solutions that might peacefully resolve this issue.

Provide evidence and BE VERY SPECIFIC.

Note: At the top of your position paper, please include:

➔ Title➔ Your name➔ Your FCPS email address➔ Parent name➔ Parent email address➔ Grade level➔ Team name

Position Papers The main point of a position paper is to offer a solution addressing the topic provided.

To simplify the tryout procedure, the paper you submit is a little different than a usual position paper for a Model UN conference. Normally you represent a country; for now, you are speaking for yourself.

What is a Position Paper?

Second RoundIf you qualify for the second round, prepare a speech on the topic that is:

➔ 2 and a half to 3 minutes➔ Covers the 3 sections, but focuses

the most on your solution(s)➔ The speech should not be you

repeating your entire paper. We want to hear you focus on main points

➔ Be prepared for a Q&A

➔ Second-round auditions will be Wednesday, September 27 after school before a panel of high school Model UN judges

➔ Bring two hard copies of your position paper with you to the audition

Final Results

All participants will be notified via email regarding whether or not they made it into the Model UN Club or have been placed on the waitlist.

Be aware that close to

100 students will try

out, but we can only

accommodate 30

members in the club.

A Few Words of Warning...

Please try out ONLY if you are willing and able to regularly attend Thursday meetings and at least 4 weekend conferences.

If you are active in sports/activities and have numerous weekend commitments, we strongly discourage you from trying out for Model UN Club.

TSA and Debate Club students are not permitted to join the Model UN Club due to scheduling conflicts throughout the year.

Dates to Remember...

September 21 - Send your position paper to modelunrcms@gmail.com no later than 11:59 PM, with Title, Name, Parent Name, email, parent email, grade, team name.

September 27 - Tryout date for second cut. Late buses provided.Bring 2 hard copies of your position paper.

October 5 - After school - first club meeting (for those accepted).

October 21 - First conference (designed specifically for those new to Model UN). First time members are strongly encouraged to attend!

MUN Senior Members➔ Catherine Pak - Secretary General ➔ Austin Shi- Under-Secretary➔ Anirudh Bansal ➔ Nathan Mo➔ Melissa Wu➔ Suraj Uppalapati

➔ Asher Tankel➔ Sruthi Sankataramun ➔ Sarah Cortez de La Cruz ➔ Shriya Vavilala➔ Sindhuja Gudur

Model UN Club Achievements in

the 2017-2018 School Year2 Best Middle School Awards

1 Best Small Delegation Award

➔ 18 Best Delegate Awards

➔ 25 Outstanding Delegate Awards

➔ 18 Honorable Delegate Awards

➔ 14 Verbal Commendation Awards

Good luck!We hope you learned something about MUN and that this has sparked interest in you for joining our club.

Tryout room numbers will be sent out by September 25 to those who made the second cut.

Questions? Please email us at modelunrcms@gmail.com