Students at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts earned recognition at the 59th Arkansas Model United Nations Conference recently held at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.
Among the recognition students earned were awards for Best Position Paper for a nation and as an Outstanding Delegate representing a nation on a committee.
Three ASMSA students served as delegates for Denmark at the conference, and they were recognized among the awards for Best Position Papers. The students who represented Denmark were senior Rosie Garner of White Hall, junior Tristan Henson of Maumelle and junior Tatum Polzin of Little Rock.
Aarush Goyal, a junior from Little Rock, representing Saudi Arabia, was named the Outstanding Delegate for the Executive Board of the World Food Programme committee.
Other ASMSA students who earned recognition included:
- Junior Aarush Goyal of Little Rock, senior Padraigh Easley of Conway, senior Shelby Norris of Alma, senior Alan Ye of Conway and junior Nakoa Beattie of Eureka Springs, representing Saudi Arabia, Best Position Paper Honorable Mention and Outstanding Delegation Honorable Mention;
- Senior Alan Ye of Conway and junior Nakoa Beattie of Eureka Springs, representing Saudi Arabia on the Social, Cultural, and Humanitarian Committee, Outstanding Delegate Honorable Mention;
- Junior Tristan Henson of Maumelle, representing Denmark on the Economic & Social Council, Outstanding Delegate Honorable Mention; and
- Senior Paul Jonsek of Hot Springs Village, representing Romania on the Historical Security Council, Outstanding Delegate Runner-Up.
The conference was held Nov. 22-23 at UCA in Conway. The Arkansas Model UN is an experiential learning activity with the primary goal of providing high school students with a unique opportunity to enhance their communication skills, improve critical thinking skills and increase their understanding of diplomacy and international politics.
The annual conference provides a setting in which students are able to simulate representatives of various countries throughout the world in the decision-making bodies of the United Nations. It provides the students an opportunity to gain an understanding of the history and structure of the international body, according to the conference’s website.