February 21, 2006 - 4:00pm
A team of seven students from Ballenas Secondary School in Parksville won the Best Delegation award at a Model United Nations Conference at Malaspina University-College in Nanaimo Feb. 19 to 21.
Tears of joy streamed down team member's Francesca Champagne-Holland's face as the Ballenas team received the prestigious Michael Meade trophy from BC Lieutenant Governor Iona Campagnola and Malaspina Global Studies student organizers. The late Micheal Meade was a popular political science instructor at Malaspina who encouraged students to hone their debating, negotiation and diplomacy skills by attending Model United Nations conferences.
"Attending the Malaspina Model United Nations conference was an amazing experience," said Champagne-Holland, a grade 11 student at Ballenas, who acted as the team's Head Delegate.
Champagne-Holland and two friends, inspired by their Civics 11 teacher Mrs. Lunny at Ballenas, attended a similar Model United Nations conference in Victoria last November. "So when I heard about the Malaspina conference from my sister, who's a student there, I knew we had to attend," said Champagne-Holland.
Lunny was unable to accompany the group to Malaspina due to other commitments, so Champagne-Holland assembled the team on her own by recruiting her friends, including grade 11 students Kathryn Paetkau, Kristine Rowswell, Caleigh Bisset, Keleigh Annau and Jesse Easter.
The Ballenas team was assigned to represent Algeria. Delegates were expected to come to the conference fully prepared to debate their country's position on pressing global issues such as HIV and AIDS in Africa, women's rights, child poverty and the proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Champagne-Holland coached her teammates through several hours of research, and writing two position papers each on global issues. At the conference, delegates served on six simulated United Nations committees, where they brought forward their ideas and opinions and practised skills in diplomacy, international relations and negotiation.
"It was hard work but we learned so much in a such a short time," said Champagne-Holland, who served as the team's Head Delegate.
Paetkau said it was a delight to meet other like-minded teens from Vancouver Island high schools who are as interested and passionate about global issues as she is.
"It's not often you get to meet other teens you can sit down with and have intellectual discussions about topics like child poverty or women's rights," added team member Kristine Rowswell.
Ballenas team member Caleigh Bisset said Algeria was a difficult country to represent "because we may not necessarily agree with their position on world issues. So as delegates of that country, we had to really step into the mind-set of Algerians," she said.
In addition to Ballenas winning the Best Delegation award, Roswell won a Best Diplomat award, while Annau won a Best Delegate award and a $500 scholarship to Malaspina.
Malaspina's first Model United Nations conference attracted over 120 students from high schools in Qualicum Beach, Parksville, Nanaimo, Ladysmith, Chemainus, Cowichan, Mill Bay and Victoria.
The conference, held to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the United Nations, was hosted by Malaspina's Global Studies program and Global Studies Students' Association (GSSA) under the guidance of Global Studies instructor Catherine Schittecatte.
Keynote speakers at the three-day conference included Major General Guy Tousignant, former United Nations Force Commander, who served as Assistant Secretary General to the UN for Rwanda in 1994, Nanaimo-Cowichan MP Jean Crowder, and BC Lieutenant Governnor Iona Campagnolo.
Kwalikum Secondary School was also well represented at the conference by team members Kyle Phillippe, Paul Davis, Alexis Debad and William Bennet representing Benin, and Kaelyn Michayluk, Hollie Ohs, Jessica Horne, Phillipa Burn and Courtney Fantinato representing Greece, and Nathan McClure, Brett Forman, Julie Jenkins, Michael Bendle and Emma Fraser representing Japan.
Forman also received a Best Delegate award and $500 scholarship to Malaspina, while McClure won a $250 scholarship sponsored by Nanaimo North Rotary Club.
Malaspina Global Studies instructor Catherine Schittecatte said participation by Vancouver Island high school students "exceeded everyone's expectations.
"Their preparation for their committee work was fantastic," she said. "They impressed everyone with their knowledge of global issues, their demonstrated passions and motivation, and with the calibre of debate and discussion.
"It's often said that today's youth doesn't care about global issues, and that they're not interested in what is happening elsewhere in the world. Conference participants certainly proved that stereotype wrong. They showed us that the future generation is going to be in more than capable hands."
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