Students at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts earned recognition at the 57th Arkansas Model United Nations Conference held recently at the University of Central Arkansas.
Among the recognition the students earned were awards for Best Position Papers two nations ASMSA students represented — Brazil and Italy.
Students who represented Brazil as a nation and on various committees were junior Melike Senlicki of Fayettville, sophomore Hailey Judkins of Benton, sophomore Karilynn Arellano of Mineral Springs, senior Pallas Bennett of Dover, senior Lydia Krebs of Maumelle and junior Stella Bentley of Eureka Springs. Italy was represented by sophomore Meera Patel of Hot Springs, junior Avery Binuya of Lamar and junior Pixie Rodgers of Hot Springs.
The members of the Italy delegation were also recognized as an Outstanding Delegation Honorable Mention. A second delegation of ASMSA students who represented Ukraine also earned Outstanding Delegation Honorable Mention recognition. Members of that delegation included junior Shane Wood of Clarksville, junior Daniel Nkunga of Sherwood and senior Kacie Koen of Benton.
Three individual students also earned individual recognition in the Outstanding Delegate Awards. They included:
- Avery Binuya, a junior from Lamar, Outstanding Delegate Honorable Mention for the Economic and Financial Committee, representing Italy;
- Kacie Koen, a senior from Benton, Outstanding Delegate Honorable Mention for the Social, Humanitarian, and Social Committee, representing Ukraine; and
- Isaura Funes, a senior from Conway, Outstanding Delegate for the Historical Security Council, representing Nigeria.
Other ASMSA students who participated in the conference included:
- Mexico delegation: sophomore Katherine Quintanilla of Nashville, sophomore Lola Tate of Benton, senior Shreyam Tripathi of Conway, junior Hannah Reagler of Hot Springs and junior Sasha Thomas of Hot Springs;
- Poland delegation: junior Lilly Hardin of Hot Springs, sophomore Thor Seay of Hot Springs, junior Michaela Stevens of Hot Springs and junior Destiny Tate of Melbourne; and
- Nigeria delegation: senior Jaden Williams of Fort Smith, junior Trinity Kyles of Texarkana and senior Ai’yanna Tombs from North Little Rock in addition to Funes.
The conference was held Nov. 18-19 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.