By Emily Dubinsky
Staff Writer
A variety of Mira Costa High School Model United Nations program participants traveled beginning from Feb. 1 to Feb. 14 to the annual Model United Nations University of Chicago conference, the Surf City conference in Huntington Beach and the North American Invitational Model United Nations conference.
University of Chicago students hosted the conference for 40 Costa students and over 3000 other delegates around the world at the Palmer House Hotel in Chicago. According to Costa History teacher Annie Choi, the delegates came prepared to complete the 21 hours of debate.
“The students spent several weeks preparing for MUNUC,” Choi said. “From our overall outcome, I think it definitely showed how hard students worked. ”
Costa delegates received six outstandings, six commendations, and six verbal commendations. Senior Peter DaGiau, juniors Beau Stasso, Darby Dayton, Dia Agarwal, and Danielle Tyukody, and sophomores Liam Cook, Camilia Rowshan, Kamila Wickramarachi, Amalia Lohuis, and Ryan Fiorito were the students who received outstandings.
“My partner and I put a lot of time and effort into this debate,” Cook said. “I’m happy the hard work and constant preparation paid off.”
Costa took another 60 students to the Surf City conference in Huntington Beach to debate. Costa students J.D. Damarillo and Sean Syed won Best Delegate awards, while 25 other Costa delegates received outstandings and commendations.
“I always learn something new from every opportunity to debate,” Syed said. “It’s awesome to be recognized for your hard work.”
Georgetown University students hosted the NAIMUN conference, where 30 Costa delegates debated in committes, such as the Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural committee. Seniors Jeff burr, Nash Hale, Shubhayu Bhattacharyay, and Arjun Patel, juniors Tooba Wasi and Matt Dumont, and sophomore Caroline Dugan all won best delegate in partners or single delegates in committees.
“[Jeff] and I worked hard to prepare beforehand, and we worked well together,” Wasi said. “I am happy with our overall outcome.”
In the weeks to come, students will be attending the National High School Model United Nations conference from Feb. 28 to Mar. 5 in New York. Costa will also debate in the Mar. 4-6 University of California, Berkeley MUN conference.
“Although this debate is weeks away, a lot of us already started to prepare in order to get the outcome that we wish for,” BMUN conference attendee, Cook, said.
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