Pacific Ridge Upper School Students Earn “Best Small School Delegation” Award at 2009 Stanford Model United Nations Conference

San Diego, CA, November 19, 2009 --(PR.com)-- More than 500 students from all over the world assembled from November 6-8, for the 2009 Model United Nations (MUN) Conference at Stanford University. Staffed by more than 80 Stanford students, the Conference hosted 22 different high school student committees that spent the weekend conversing on conflicts, events and principal actors of the international arena. 18 students, accompanied by two faculty advisors, traveled to Stanford this year to represent Pacific Ridge School in Carlsbad.

“We are extremely proud of every student that attended this year’s Stanford MUN Conference,” said Scott Silk and Liz Grossman, faculty advisors from Pacific Ridge School. “The award for ‘Best Small School Delegation’ was the result of our students being well prepared, demonstrating effective listening skills, and offering well developed resolutions to the conflicts presented.”

To prepare for the conference, students researched an assigned country and developed a position paper on each of the topics assigned to their committees. The conference’s closing ceremonies included the presentation of awards to the highest-scoring individuals and delegations. In addition to earning the “Best Small School Delegation” award, 12 individual delegate awards were presented to Pacific Ridge School students, including:

Best Delegates
· Meili Eubank – European Union
· Anisha Mudaliar – United Nations Development Programme

Outstanding Delegates
· Kenneth Gudel – Org American States
· Trevor Nesbitt – International Atomic Energy Agency
· Alex Rodrigues – International Court of Justice
· Sean Straw – League of Arab States

Best Research
· Elle Lichter – World Bank
· Grant Nassif – The Secretary-General’s Council of NGOs
· Trevor Nesbitt – International Atomic Energy Agency

Verbal Commendation
· Fearghas Smith – North Atlantic Treaty Organization
· Zoe Tracy – United Nations Economic and Social Council

Honorable Mention
· Jaclyn Hirbawi – International Council of Museums
The Stanford MUN Conference is committed to creating a stimulating and enjoyable Model UN experience that helps delegates understand the complex workings of politics and international affairs. This is achieved by simulating United Nations committees and challenging crises, both of which encourage delegates to think critically and creatively, and to collaborate and compromise with each other. For more information on the Stanford MUN Conference, visit http://www.smunc.org.

About Pacific Ridge School:
Opened in the fall of 2007, Pacific Ridge School is a non‐profit, independent middle and high school located in the North County, San Diego. With the distinctive mission of building a community that fosters academic excellence, ethical responsibility and global engagement, Pacific Ridge offers a first-rate educational experience to prepare students for college and a purposeful life. For more information, visit http://www.pacificridge.org. Pacific Ridge School does not discriminate on the basis of religion, gender, sexual orientation, race, creed, or national origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, and other administered programs.

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