When members of Model UN left McLean Highschool for ILMUNC, an annual, 4 day, national Model UN conference in Philadelphia, they expected a weekend filled with debate, diplomacy, and competition. Instead, their trip came to a sudden halt as an unexpected winter snowstorm risked the safety of their return home.
ILMUNC is one of the largest Model UN conferences in the country, with thousands of student delegates participating each year. Members take part in a simulation of Model UN committees to debate real world global issues. For many delegates, ILMUNC is considered one of the most competitive conferences of the season.
Preparation for the conference began months in advance. Team members spent weeks researching their topics, writing their speeches, and practicing their speeches after school, all with the goal of performing their best at the national stage.
However, severe winter weather cut those plans short. As the chances of heavy snowfall increased and travel conditions worsened, there were growing concerns about the ability for the team to return safely. And finally, after careful consideration the school administration made the decision to end the trip early and send a bus to pick the team up.
Despite the abrupt ending to the national conference the awards ceremony was still livestreamed on Sunday morning with many delegates winning awards for McLean. Even with this successful outcome many felt that they missed out on the national conference experience.
“It was pretty frustrating,” sophomore Lila Shaw said. “I feel like it would’ve been fun if we could’ve stayed in Philly longer, we were having a really good time.”
While the snowstorm prevented the team from completing the entirety of the conference, members say the setback has motivated them to continue improving. Many are already looking forward to future conferences such as ones at Langley and Thomas Jefferson.
“Even though this conference was cut short I’m really happy that we did well and I’m looking forward to some of the upcoming local conferences,” sophomore Lily Alquabani said.
Although ILMUNC ended earlier than expected, members of Model UN came back to McLean with confidence and determination to dominate in the upcoming local and national conferences.
