<p>Hotchkiss has won the Yale Model United nations conference again this year. We have either been 1st or 2nd for 6 years straight, needless to say our debate team dominates. Other prep schools in attendance included, St Pauls School, Deerfield, Choate, Loomis, and Taft. New York day schools such as Collegiate were also present as well as some upwards of 50 other schools. If you have any more questions about Hotchkiss' legendary debate team, feel free to ask.</p>
<p>This is a question about debate in general: What does debate have to do with Model UN?</p>
<p>In Model UN people are different countries and basically debate. Its exactly that a model of the UN</p>
<p>…I guess it’s ok as long as you avoid the human rights council ;-)</p>
<p>i do MUN… im applying to most of the schools u listed abovvce</p>
<p>i won 2 gavels 4 outsandings nd 2 commendations</p>
<p>Ok my questions may be stupid but here we go.
- How are students selected for the Model UN team?
- Do students receive any formal training in debate?
Thats it.</p>
<p>As an international student, i’ve attended THIMUN a couple times. To my knowledge, nobody “wins.” The only achievement one usually brags about is main submitting a resolution that passes in the plenary. American MUN seems to be drastically different. The SecGen actually announces a “winner?”</p>
Here is an article on the Yale win from Hotchkiss’ website. It details a few reasons why Hotchkiss’ team has been so dominant:
Congratulations to our students on the Speech and Debate Team! For the fourth time in six years, the Hotchkiss team won Top School at the Yale Model United Nations conference, which took place Jan. 22-24. Since 2004, the Bearcats have captured first place four times and second place twice. This year was particularly remarkable, says Speech and Debate coach Kate Vavpetic, since well over half of the 22- member team were new to the Model United Nations event. In addition to Vavpetic, Instructor in English Sam Prouty is a coach for the team.
The continuing success by Hotchkiss debate teams owes to several factors. First and foremost, the training that Hotchkiss students receive in class – training in active discussion and expectations of the demonstration of independent and critical thinking – prepares them well for the Model UN. Secondly, selection for this event is competitive. Students must attend at least two debate tournaments in order to qualify to be invited to Model UN; so they have training and practice in public speaking, rhetoric, refutation, and extemporaneous debate. Finally, prior to the competition, the team has fun practicing Model UN Parliamentary Procedure with a mock Model UN committee during regular evening practices. Students say that the best part of their participation is making friends from around the country, and learning about how the real UN works. Gaining this understanding for how slowly things work in international organizations, and how challenging real diplomacy and compromise can be, are great life lessons.
1st place:
Pawel Benedyckinski ’10 (out of 100 students)
Omar Kasule ’10 (out of 100 students)2nd place:
Tori Bentley ’12 (out of 108 students)3rd place:
Teddy Ward ’12 (out of 100 people)
Jim Yoon ’12 (out of 100 people)
Abby Hoskins ’11 (out of 61 people)
Julius Dixon ’12 (out of 61 people)
Alejo Escallon ’12 (out of 23 people)
Chang Moon ’13 (out of 23 people)Also attending were:
Elisabeth Constantino ’11
Sandie Knuth ’10
Cameron Ewing ’11
Branch Johnson ’13
Nigel Mosley ’11
Christian Lange ’13
Jared Klebanow ’12
Matilda Whitney ’12
Anne Gifford ’12At the conference the Hotchkiss students discussed topics such as slowing climate change, human trafficking, creating a pan-Asian currency, terrorism, and the Afghan Drug Trade. More information about the Model UN is available at Yale Model United Nations.
<p>Hotchkiss won best school again this year ! keep the legacy going strong !</p>
<p>Branch Johnson ’13</p>
<p>was my former classmate. :)</p>
<p>I put all these questions in another thread (<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/1104792-need-help-differntiating-picking-between-hades-choate.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/1104792-need-help-differntiating-picking-between-hades-choate.html</a>) but I thought I’d just ask directly too since this thread is about the first 3 things on my list:</p>
<p>How are Hotchkiss’: (<em>in terms of their size, scale, student interest, and accomplishments</em>) As much info/details as possible would be much appreciated!</p>
<p>1) speech & debate experience/rankings in competitions?
2) Model UN?
3) mock trial?</p>
<p>4) music program?
5) acapella/singing programs?
6) GSA program/acceptance?</p>
<p>7) foreign languages (studying several at once specifically- is it commonly done)?
8) Newspaper?
9) Student government? (is it very involved and does it have a presence and prestige on campus)
10) What kind of entertainment productions do Deerfield students put on - such as Mr. -nameofschool- pageants, date auctions, talent shows (less professionally talented, more students making glorious fools of themselves and enjoying it), etc.?</p>
<p>Thanks!!</p>