~:[CH15 - Day 80]:~ Not Just Another One

 
~:[CH15 - Day 80]:~ Not Just Another One

It's easy to say, "another one," but it's not just another one. Every year, I take our juniors to the National High School Model UN Conference in New York. We've done well when we've attended this conference, so the common response is that it's a given. Every year, I remind students that it's not. Just because a group received an award before, doesn't mean they will as well. They often do not see the work that is put in behind the scenes, collecting hundreds of documents, attending hours of grills, and the emotional rollercoaster tied to the preparation and conference. I always hear the comment that they shudder in fear when I am around, but part of my job is to keep the fire lit underneath them so they can perform their best on this stage. It's not just another delegation award they are coming home with, it's their delegation award that they earned and deserved to be praised for. This group as freshmen were definitely a challenge and even through this process, they proved that there were some areas needed to be worked on, but in the end, they worked on many of those areas and came out with two delegation awards, the Award of Distinction in Debate and the Award of Excellence in Research and Preparation. Although this group had a little trouble coming on time, they connected well together, they stepped up and helped each other when obstacles arose, and they ended up pushing through at the very end. Every year, I trek to New York, but this trip is not just another one, but it's a experience that is unique from all previous trips with the various personalities, experiences, and emotions. At the end of the day, they returned with their delegation award, but it's not just another one, but a special award that belongs to this group, earned through all the time and effort that they put in to be their best at this very moment. Congratulations to our junior MUNers!