Embedded Files
3rd Annual GMS-SSIMS Model UN Conference
3rd Annual GMS-SSIMS Model UN Conference
Gaithersburg, Middle School
Gaithersburg, Middle School
On May 23, 2023, 45 SSIMS students participated in the Gaithersburg Middle School Model UN Conference. We started our day with a guest speaker, Ms. Kathy Wachala, Chief of Party for RTI in the Philippines. Kathy's work focuses on Wildlife Trafficking, one of the conference themes (along with Food Security, Prison Reform, and Mass Migration).
SSIMS students held leadership roles in the conference, working as Presidents, Vice Presidents, and a Moderator. Our amazing students went above and beyond every day to prepare for the conference so that they could engage with the topics on a deeper level. Students represented the diverse perspectives of each issue with an open mind and a strong sense of curiosity and justice. Thank you also to our incredible students who all did their absolute best throughout the day.
Letters to Advocate for the World We Want
This spring, students engaged in a writing assignment where they choose one topic we learned about in class and write a letter to advocate for a policy change or make a general recommendation. Students write to a wide variety of audiences, from the White House, local government, corporation, or organization.
We sent out 64 letters in total. Students were shocked to receive so many letters back. In fact, letters are still coming into the school each day. We even received a letter and photo from President Biden, thanking the students for all of their letters. It was incredible to see students' respond to their letters that they received and read the personalized responses, such as from the Department of Education.
Model United Nations Field Trip to New York
Over four days (March 10-13, 2023) 19 students from SSIMS attended the NHSMUN Conference in New York where they debated ideas, wrote working papers, created resolutions, collaborated in teams, and presented their findings to their committees. To prepare for the conference, students conducted extensive research and wrote position papers on 18 different topics, ranging from returning cultural artifacts to countries of origin, preventing non-state actors from obtaining weapons of mass destruction, and the impacts of climate change on the Global South. The conference schedule was intense and demanding but our delegates rose to the occasion and actively particIpated. A student commented, "NHSMUN is tiring but really fun! It is a great place to meet new people and to have fun doing MUN!"
At the United Nations Headquarters students heard a dynamic speaker who created a global story-telling program for refugee youth. Students also watched Wicked on Broadway and visited Central Park, Times Square, and Rockefeller Center. The conference included over 2,000 delegates who represented 70 countries, in addition to many states in the United States from Hawaii to Rhode Island. It was an honor and a privilege to represent SSIMS at this prestigious international event and our students demonstrated their immense integrity and talent. One student shared, "My favorite part of the trip was having an official, hands-on approach to Model UN and my own independence. I loved meeting new people and hearing from brilliant speakers." I would like to thank our incredible students for their hard work throughout the four days and our wonderful media specialist, Ms. Lisa Hack, for being such a great chaperone during the trip. As a Native New Yorker, Ms. Hack knew all the best places to visit in NYC and of course, where to find the best bagels!
Guest Speaker from the International Organization Humanity & Inclusion
On February 3, 2023 we were fortunate to host a guest speaker, Mr. Jeff Meer, the Executive Director of Humanity & Inclusion. Human & Inclusion is an organization that works to remove landmines in 35 countries around the world. The visit was sparked by the topic of landmines that we learned about for the GWCIA Conference. One student wrote a letter to Mr. Meer and he graciously volunteered to visit us. It was an inspiring presentation about how international organizations (also called NGOs) work with the United Nations to solve complex issues. Students' questions reflected their extensive background knowledge and commitment to building a safer world.
Frederick County MUN Conference
On January 28, 2023, SSIMS Model UN students participated in the FCPS MUN conference. A total of 39 students attended the event. It was an inspiring day as students debated, presented their opening speeches, worked in small groups with students from other regional schools to identify solutions to global problems, including militarization of space, access to technology in education, and closing the gender wage gap. SSIMS students did amazingly well throughout the conference and represented SSIMS with pride.
January MUN Conference
From January 10-12, 2023, students presented speeches and wrote resolutions during a MUN Conference about Ecosystem Restoration in the classroom. 8th grade students served as President and Vice-President of the conference and ran an efficient and organized event. This student-run program highlighted students' outstanding leadership skills. The highlight of the conference was hearing delegates ask each other thoughtful questions and hearing their responses. Students in Model United Nations have shown that they are highly capable of navigating complex global issues and identifying innovative solutions.
Student Advocacy
Before Winter Break, students in Model UN classes wrote hand-written letters to advocate for issues we learned about in class, such as food security, landmines, water governance, cyber security, and the Suez Canal. Our students' letters reveal that they are critical thinkers who CARE about the world and want to make it a better place. Each student selected who they wanted to their letters to, ranging from a person, company, or organization. Many letters were sent to the White House, while others were sent to local organizations or our locally elected representatives. In total, we sent 60 letters in the mail. Through advocacy and action, students' are making a difference in the classroom and in our communities.
GWCIA MUN Conference
On November 12, 2022, forty students from Silver Spring International Middle School attended the 22nd Annual GWCIA Conference at George Washington University. Over 500 delegates from schools throughout the Washington D.C. area attended the conference. Throughout the day, delegates presented speeches and wrote resolutions to solve world problems. Five of our delegates' resolutions passed out of 50 resolutions presented. Before lunch even started, one of our delegates shared, "That was the most exciting 2.5 hours of my life!" At the end of the day, one parent stated, "Thank you so much for your excellent work and carrying the UN flag like you do!!!" SSIMS Model UN students are carrying the UN flag, spreading their optimism for a better world, and identifying innovative solutions. The lessons we learned at the conference will continue to guide our work in the classroom.
Election Day Bake Sale
On November 8, 2022, MUN students’ organized a Bake Sale with two locations. Their hard work was featured in the Bethesda Beat Election Day Blog.
Page updated
Report abuse