Corona del Mar High School’s prestigious Speech and Debate team took five days away from school to head up to New York City to attend NHSMUN. NHSMUN (National High School Model United Nations) is an annual conference that has been held each year in New York City for the past forty-five years, teaching students and honoring the efforts of some of the world’s most vital diplomats. Due to the massive size of the Corona del Mar High School Speech and Debate team, only sixteen students were chosen to attend the conference with the head advisor of the team, Miss Mayberry. While in New York, students from Corona del Mar High School were fortunate to meet students of other Model United Nations teams or classes who were just as passionate on striving for the mission statement of the United Nations. Through this program, schools worldwide, as well as nationwide, were in attendance to debate on some of the world’s most prominent issues.

The United Nations makes its headquarters in New York City, where thousands and more flock each year to debate and discuss the world’s most prominent issues. In addition to this, students from across the world and across the nation also attend to fulfill a stimulation of actual peace-keeping efforts. The conference kicked off in the New York Hilton Midtown, where students debated for three days straight on issues that pertained to their particular committees, which mirrors the many committees located within the United Nations. The conference concluded with the students’ visit to the United Nations headquarters, where students got the opportunity to sit in the chairs of the General Assembly hall, where some of the world’s most important diplomats sit during each session.

For the three days that students worked with their chosen committees, students were confronted with a variety of different situations – specifically those that are intended to mimic the possible events that may arise during actual attempts of peacekeeping. For example, Corona del Mar High School students and those from around the world had the opportunity to serve on mock committees such as, but not limited to, Crisis, UNESCO, and more. These three days of debates left CDM students with some of the most long-lasting memories of meeting new people and facing some of the world’s most detrimental problems together.

“Being able to attend NHSMUN this year has been one of the best memories of my senior year. I was fortunate enough to meet so many different types of people as well as gaining exposure to some of the world’s most major issues. It really made me feel like I was filling more than just my niche in this big world,” senior Charlie Zhang said.

Though the trip appeared to be long at first, the trip went by far quicker than CDM students and those of other schools worldwide had anticipated. Students were able to leave bearing the fact that their ideas and opinions would not remain unheard. As many prominent individuals such as NHSMUN staff and head of UNICEF Anuka Brown had said, these students would be the future to peace-keeping and preserving the balance of the world.