Summerville and Local Schools Take Top Prizes at 41st Model U.N.

ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA — For the second consecutive year, Summerville High School took home top honors March 31 at the 41st annual Model United Nations conference at Winthrop University.

Held March 29-31, the conference involved hundreds of students representing nearly 30 high schools from the Carolinas and Kentucky. An awards ceremony capped two days of deliberations over world events, including HIV, human trafficking and water crises.

The overall award — the Winthrop Cup — went to students representing Egypt from Summerville High School of Summerville, South Carolina.

The China team from Fort Mill High School captured the Secretariat Award for contributing the most to the success of the conference.

The Geoffrey Bruce Award for the delegation acting most in character of its country went to the team representing Oman from Ashley Ridge High School in Summerville.

Judges couldn't decide on a winner for the Rookie Award, given to an outstanding school making its first appearance at the conference, so they awarded all three first-time schools with the prize: St. Anne Catholic School, Columbia High School and Ardrey Kell High School.

The Best Resolution Award went to Pinewood Preparatory School of Summerville.

This year's Secretariat operated under the Winthrop student leadership of Lindsay Gaynor, secretary general; Ben Forbes, director general; and Dominique Gadsden, coordinator general. The three organized the conference, contacted the high schools and worked on logistics for the three-day event, as well as coordinated Winthrop students' participation in the conference. The Model U.N. advisor is Professor Chris Van Aller of the Department of Political Science.

For more information, contact Nicole Chisari, communications coordinator, at 803/323-2236 or e-mail her at chisarin@winthrop.edu.