Recently, AP European History teacher Mrs. Landsea started Model United Nations (Model UN) at Gables with the hope of reaching out to interested students. Model UN is a simulation of the United Nations, where students represent the interests of a specific country. In this club, students will work in pairs on position papers, which demand research and critical thinking.

While Mrs. Landsea always wanted to bring Model UN to Gables, after many years she was able to successfully incorporate this prestigious program into our school’s curriculum.

“After sponsoring Harvard Model Congress for years, Model UN was a natural extension and much more accessible in terms of events for students. There are several local conferences, including one hosted by the district in February and one at FIU in April. This will allow the program to be more open to students,” Landsea said.

Despite the differences, the two programs share some similarities. Model UN allows students to practice speaking skills and participate in their community as well. Teens who are passionate about international affairs and wish to speak their opinion are encouraged to join this club. Even though Model UN holds a reputable name, the club does have a few requirements, one of them having a sincere interest to successfully prepare and participate in the club’s conferences!

Model UN is the newest addition to Gables and it’s all thanks to Mrs. Landsea. If you missed the brief meeting after school on Oct. 23, just go onto Edmodo, add the class code pbcuqt, and you will be automatically updated on the club’s activities! On Dec. 16, Model UN had it’s first starter meeting, where participants were asked to research the given topics during Winter Break. Stay tuned for more news on this newly initiated group!