High school students belong to that age group who love to work in groups, take initiative, take risks, love making new friends and are full of energy. As educators, we have to create a lot of platforms to ensure their active engagement like community services, involvement in fundraising activities, debate programs and Model UN can be of high interest.
Ultimately these kinds of activities help them to create a strong foundation to develop their academic rigor, set higher goals, and make action plans to achieve them. Also, it helps them to identify their skills and strengths making them choose the right course and support in career planning.
Recently 20 high school students from Swostishree Gurukul IB World School participated in WFUNA, WIMUN NY 2024. Students and parents both were very excited, while there was this one particular student of mine who was not happy about it.
She had specifically told me that she is not a model UN person, hence she is less interested. But the story changed once the conference started.
Day 1, was normal as it was just opening but for many of them, they said it was huge and emotionally overwhelming to be witnessing such a moment at GA Hall, United Nations headquarters, New York. Day 2 was a bit challenging as everybody got into their simulations and committees while she was still learning the issue. But surprisingly on Day 3, her interest started taking a U-turn as she started practicing speaking and preparing till late hours.
In the end, she told me she was so highly motivated that she wanted to join the Model UN every year and would like to represent the ILO committee. It was eye-opening for her and realising her strength, made her more confident. She is just a student representative, there were many more who wanted to prepare better next time, for some they thought it was so huge that they were highly motivated and felt so lucky. Some were determined to do a similar conference back home. For some, making a lot of friends and socializing was motivation.
One of the participants, Cyiera Shuvangini Bazagai even made it to the Plenary Speakers where she was selected as one of the 13th participants out of 800 participants from 47 different countries at the UN General Assembly hall, UN Headquarters, New York. The global round was appreciated a lot where the students performed Nepali songs with their cultural outfits.
Along with Bazagai, Adhish Binod Pokharel, both 10th graders, who secured the “Best Diplomacy Award” in their respective committees and simulations at WIMUN NY 2024 stand as testaments to the program’s success. Their achievement resonated deeply with Nepali officials, security personnel, and even Nepali UN diplomats who expressed immense pride in witnessing young Nepali students excel on such a prestigious platform.
In conclusion, leadership programs in high school offer fertile ground for nurturing future global leaders. By providing diverse platforms for engagement, educators can empower students to discover their strengths, hone essential skills, and confidently step onto the world stage, leaving a lasting impact on their communities and beyond.
