UH plays host to mock
U.N.
By Keenan Singleton
Daily Cougar Staff
The usual foibles of the typical high school
student — acne, peer pressure and the prom — were replaced with the more
global-encompassing issues of terrorism
and the World Bank at the 27th Annual Houston Area Model United Nations
on Thursday.
Johnny Kow/The Daily Cougar
High school students from
across Houston participate in the 27th Annual Houston Area Model United
Nations conference on Thursday at
the University Center. The two-day event
concludes today.
The mock U.N. gives high school students
a chance to learn about current events outside of their textbooks, said
Stephanie Smith, an
under-secretary general for public relations.
"It gives high school students a better
idea of what's going on in the world," said Clear Lake High School senior
Andrew Tran. "It makes
us more aware and gets us prepared for
the future."
The 1,500-plus students in attendance debate
on issues ranging from information technology for developing countries
to genetics.
Sponsored by the Language and Cultural
Center, the model U.N. also serves as a scholarship fundraiser for the
students in attendance,
Smith said.
The Language and Cultural Center also helped
the students gather data on the different nations and is filming a documentary
as well.
"It really gave me a chance to open up
my mind to various plights across the world," Chloe Wilkes, a Langham Creek
sophomore, said.
"For example, my country, Senegal, is
resolving to keep its natural resources and getting more aid."
The discussions were held on the third
level of the University Center. The main conference room was placed in
the Houston Room,
where general issues were discussed.
"The general assembly plenary in the Houston
Room has about 150 students involved," Smith said. "The schools are placed
in a
random pool and each school sends about
12 to 15 representatives per country."
"It's good for them to walk in someone
else's moccasins," Carol Groppe, chair of the Board of Governors, said.
"It makes the students
appreciate what's going on in the world."
"The students start researching their respective
countries in August usually," Groppe said. "The event tries to stay as
strict to the real U.N.
as possible," she said.
