Model United Nations is a new interest group to Manhattan High School seeking to accurately portray the actual United Nations in live action simulations. The main focus of the group is for students who may have an interest in international relations or international law to get a better understanding of the view of other countries on global issues.

“We just get experience for people who want to do stuff with the UN and international relations or law,” senior Noah Juelfs said. “If anybody wants to be involved with UN or politics, it’s a good opportunity to get to know about it.”

Model UN is based heavily in debate and politics, two things that certain high school students find enjoyment in. The United Nations debates global political issues, so, for an accurate simulation, students must do research on the country that they are assigned so they may accurately portray the country’s view on specific topics. Club members are currently drafting resolutions for assigned international issues that will represent how the country might actually respond during actual debates.

“I really like politics and I thought it would be more interesting to learn more about the world through this club,” junior Angelica Lang said.

It is unique for MHS to have an upcoming club based around politics, as the rest of the club’s focus on the arts, school environment, sciences and math. The group seeks to make students more politically aware of what is going in the world and the crucial decisions that the actual UN makes.

“We don’t have many clubs that are doing politics and current events,” Model UN president sophomore Rick Brown said. “This is a new type of club.”

Model UN is set to have their first simulation in March this year.

“We are going to have a big event in March in Topeka,” Juelfs said. “We’ll have an entire day where we do what the UN does.”