The Princeton Day School Model United Nations team saw incredible success at their last conference, EmpireMUN, which took place at New York University from November 13 to 16. The team placed second overall and received the Outstanding Large Delegation Award, with several team members receiving individual accolades in their own committees.  

Committees ranged from the typical Model UN topics like DISEC (Disarmament and International Security Committee) to more unconventional ones like a Wedding Planning committee, where delegates had to work to plan a wedding from start to finish and present their full plan at the end. “We each really cared about how everyone else did,” noted senior Rhea Ajmera, who attended the conference, as she spoke about her experiences debriefing with teammates after committee sessions.

Outside of committee, the team also had a lot of fun spending time with each other in the city. “We really bonded together as a team. I think that was one of the highlights,” said senior Charlie Kaplowitz, who is one of the team’s leaders. “From talking to each other after committee sessions to preparing as mentors and mentees beforehand, we were really able to bond and do well as a team,” he added.

The PDS delegation for this conference consisted of 30 students, 12 of whom received awards. The awards ranged from Best Delegate to Verbal Commendations and were presented to PDS students across all four grade levels. “This was the first conference of the year,” commented senior Michael Xue, who was awarded the Honorable Delegate award alongside his dual delegate partner sophomore Zara Shakoor. “Everyone put in really great effort and I think this team really is something,” he reflected.

One can be very optimistic about the future of the PDS Model UN program. With so many underclassmen winning awards and demonstrating strong skills during simulations (tryouts), it is safe to say that Model UN will continue to grow in both talent and popularity. The team fosters a great sense of community and camaraderie, which is a crucial element of the program’s historical and continued success. PDS Model UN truly is a special community.