Can Matoaca students solve the world's problems?
By Marcy Horwitz CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Matoaca High School students including (from left) Lachelle Henderson, Lauren Rotsted, Chris Purdin, Tori Todd, Jennifer Tedder, Dwayne Whitt and Casey Brazil (podium) practice for an upcoming Model United Nations conference.

Most adults would blanch at trying to solve the world's problems, but 15 Matoaca High School teenagers have no such qualms. They were among the 800 young people who attended the 26th Annual Virginia Model United Nations Summit held at the University of Virginia last month.

Model UN is an academic program designed to teach students about contemporary events in international politics. During annual conferences, participants assume the roles of delegates from countries all over the world. Students work in committees as they address economic and social issues, international crises, and other simulations taken from the real world international scene. They debate and discuss issues with other students in an attempt to write resolutions. The process exercises students' ability to speak, write, research and think critically about the most pressing issues of the day. It's "education through simulation."

Although Model UN is an academic course at some high schools, Matoaca runs its program as an after-school club. Michael-Jon Rodney, a social studies teacher at Matoaca, is the club's advisor. Rodney describes his Model UN kids as "highly motivated." They're there because they want to be.

Student Victoria Todd has wanted to work in government since she was five years old. Participating in Model UN activities is helping her toward that goal.

Model UN is "awesome," says Victoria. "You get to meet amazing people, hone your public speaking and debate skills, and learn about the governments of other nations and the importance of diplomacy around the world."

Elizabeth Grizzle, who plans to study abroad during college, agrees. "I like just getting together and meeting new people."

Social opportunities aside, there's hard work to be done during the conferences. Just as in the real world, committee meetings can drag on and on - some for as long as 10 hours. Both girls say the schedule can be tiring. Still, both plan to continue to participate.

That's good news, because Matoaca's Model UN students will attend the regional High School Model UN conference in February at Old Dominion University. The Matoaca teens are already raising funds for registration, travel and hotel fees by selling soft drinks and running other fundraisers.

Principal Stephen Cunningham is proud of the Matoaca Model UN team, and supports the program fully. Model UN is valuable, he says, "because it requires students to take learning outside of the classroom and actually apply it in real situations. Also, it puts students in a different setting so that they interact with students from other schools and share ideas and experience a different culture in that sense - not to mention the value of the research that they do prior to going."