Leigh Jacobson
Spotlight Editor
Bestdelegate.com, the main Model United Nations (commonly known as Model U.N.) informational blog, has just ranked Milken Community High School’s Model U.N. team as number 24 in the nation.
This unprecedented honor is a result of the team’s winning Best Small Delegation at the Ivy League Model United Nations Conference hosted by the University of Pennsylvania in January, in addition to the success of multiple Milken delegates in winning awards at the Berkeley conference in February.
“I’ve always been very proud of and impressed with our delegation’s ability to engage in the highest level of debate,” Mr. Beau Lindsay, Model U.N. teacher, said. “This program has always been student centered, so I am glad they are receiving the well deserved Kavod.”
According to the website, “Milken is not among the most well-known teams in the hypercompetitive California circuit, but they have certainly improved over the years and their results show they can now hold their own.”
Departing Model U.N. Club President Robert Ravanshenas ’11 was thrilled to learn of the title.
“As I prepare to graduate from Milken in a couple of days, I have been reflecting upon the legacy I will leave. Leading such a devoted group of members of the Model U.N. club to earn the title of the 24th best team in the nation makes me very proud,” he said. “I am certain that future leadership will continue the work that we have begun.”
And indeed, despite the glorious new title, the team is still looking to up the ante.
“In order to ensure continued success of Model U.N. at Milken we need to first recruit heavily, then expand the number of conferences we go to, places like Harvard, Stanford, the George Washington University and even the U.N. itself, places Milken’s Model U.N. program has seldom dreamed of attending,” incoming Model U.N. Club President Ari Spitzer ’12 said.
Spitzer also endeavors to bring the program closer together through shared research and preparation.
“The tighter knit we are as a Model U.N. team, the better we will perform at conferences,” he said.
All in all, the title came as a great honor, and the Milken team is looking forward to next year’s competitions.
“I’m fully confident that we will continue to build on this success,” said Lindsay. “Watch out Mira Costa!”
The full rankings can be viewed here: http://bestdelegate.com/americas-best-high-school-model-un-teams-top-16-25/
Matt • Sep 26, 2011 at 11:08 am
i still read this article and smile 🙂
Wendy Ordower • Jun 2, 2011 at 7:41 pm
Congratulations to our MUN team and teachers for the recognition!
I encourage the team not just to expand the program to include more conferences,
but to expand the reach of the team to mentoring a school in Los Angeles without resources to train and compete. A generous act of community building will lift your standing in ways a conference may not address and is in the spirit of MUN. The colleges already do this and Milken can too.