Dexter High School’s Model UN Team Recognized at Oakland University Conference

Dexter High School’s Model United Nations team earned high honors at the recent Model UN conference at Oakland University. 

This was the tenth Model UN (MUN) conference at the university and it was their largest by the size of student delegations in their decade long history. It had some of the premier talent from schools from all over Michigan.

The Model UN is an educational simulation where students role-play as diplomats; researching and debating global issues to learn about diplomacy and international relations through representing countries and doing such things as negotiating and drafting resolutions to solve conflicts. It’s a great way to develop skills in public speaking, teamwork and critical thinking.

There were nearly 300 delegates at the Oakland conference representing nations across the globe in the following committees:

• Disarmament and International Security
• Economic and Financial Committee
• Environmental Programme
• Human Rights Committee
• Security Council
• Soviet Politburo (Historical Committee) 
• World Health Organization

Dexter High School was well represented by students at both ends of the experience spectrum. Dexter earned seven individual delegate honors and among all competing schools this netted Dexter the Runner-up Delegation Team Honors at the closing ceremonies.

Top Team recognition went to Traverse City West, Dexter second and Troy High School third.

Here are Dexter’s individual honors:

Earning “Excellent” Recognition (High Honors) were the following delegates:

• Seniors Connor Nathaniel and Zoë Harker representing China (double delegation) in the Security Council.
• Freshmen Al Watkinson in his very first conference ever, representing Germany in the Economic and Financial (ECOFIN) General Assembly.
• Freshmen Kyla Brewer representing China in the Human Rights General Assembly.

Earning TOP or Superior Designation (Highest Honors) were the following delegates:

• Senior Luke Dudash in the Crisis Committee regarding the Soviet Politburo representing Leon Trotsky.
• Senior Preston Roemmich in Disarmament and International Security Committee (DISEC).
• Senior Brendan Sedlar representing China in the Economic and Financial (ECOFIN) General Assembly.

DHS sophomore Graham McCarthy also participated in the two-day conference and represented Germany in the United Nations Environmental Programme committee. In only his first year of Model UN, DHS MUN Advisor and teacher Jamie Dudash said McCarthy is continuing to sharpen his skills and will be an asset in future conferences/years in his MUN career.

For Watkinson, a DHS freshman in his first high school conference, Dudash said he performed admirably and his performance is a testimony to his personal preparation and creativity as well as the overall team preparation.   

Dudash said, “Overall the conference was a tremendous success for the entire team. We were so pleased to return to Oakland University as they host a truly professional conference, where kids had a chance to enjoy a great Middle Eastern dinner on Friday with their committees and then take in a college dining hall experience for lunch on Saturday.”

In giving some thanks, Dudash said he and the team appreciated the community support provided by Phoenix Contractors, Inc., who helped with Dexter’s attendance to the conference. 

“They helped defray a large portion of our conference delegate fees in addition to the funding team lapel pins and gear to which we are very grateful,” Dudash said. “They helped us truly present Dexter Model United Nations with excellence.”

This appreciation for community shows up in the team spirit because when the delegation from Dexter was called, DHS senior Luke Dudash said, “We ALL go up and receive the trophy.” 

Considering there are 30-40 delegates in most committee rooms, Dexter delegates were in the top 8-10 percent in every delegation.

Photo 1: The Dexter Model UN Team arriving at the Oakland University Conference. Photo: DHS