Nuclear Warheads, Russian Weasels, and Exemplary Awards at UMass Model UN

A guest post by 11th grader Kenny

Our high school Model UN program, which is entirely run by students, usually does two conferences per year. But because of our love for Model UN, this year we decided to do a third. My classmate Isaac looked for another conference and was able to find a relatively local one at UMass Amherst. Last weekend, five us traveled there and tackled issues such as water security and the refugee crisis. We also had the opportunity to simulate alternate realities, like dealing with a world in which Franklin Delano Roosevelt was assassinated soon after taking office, or restructuring the International Monetary Fund. 
Typically, committees follow their real-life protocols, but as the weekend went on, the delegation from Uruguay -- represented by myself and my classmate Madi -- were able to seize veto powers from international superpowers in the Security Council. In other outlandish news, we voted to genetically reconstruct an extinct Russian weasel, and the Italian Empire traded nuclear warheads for one billion dollars worth of wine. 
Such dubious events aside, Madi, Isaac, and I were all able to win Best Delegates for our committees, Julia won Outstanding Delegate for hers, and our 5-person Meridian Academy group earned the Best Small Delegation award for the entire conference. Overall, the conference was a success, and we look forward to returning next year. Who knows which extinct species we'll regenerate next?