Over the weekend of January 10, Trinity Hall’s Model UN delegates participated in the YMCA Model UN Conference in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Joining over 1,400 students from surrounding states, the delegation engaged in thoughtful discussions on global issues and worked collaboratively to propose solutions for their respective assigned countries over the course of the three-day conference.
In total, the delegation took part in six committee sessions where students discussed and debated prevalent topics affecting the world. They worked together with other delegates to create realistic and mutually beneficial resolutions, modeling the responsibilities of members of the UN. Students debated issues such as climate change, human rights, and international conflicts while negotiating solutions. In doing so, students were able to strengthen their communication skills.
Taleen McOmber ‘26 shares, “MUN (Model United Nations) helps students develop important skills, such as public speaking, critical thinking, teamwork and learning about world issues. It's a great way to understand how countries cooperate to solve global challenges.”
Similarly, Sydney Kramer ‘26 explains, “The experience is amazing because we get to collaborate with others, represent a country and respond to questions with our country's views in mind, as well as debate with others. I loved it because it helped me grow confidence in my public speaking skills, learning the importance of asking those critical questions, and thinking on the fly.”
Along with the committee sessions, Model UN members were given opportunities to take part in social events throughout the weekend. According to delegate Sydney Buchanan ‘27, “Besides being in committee sessions, there were other fun activities we got to participate in. For example, there was a dance on Saturday night for all of the delegates, and that was a fun way to connect with new people in a less formal way.” The weekend proved to be a positive experience for Buchanan, who shares, “Overall, I had a great first experience at Model UN and recommend it to anyone who holds even the slightest interest in debate and/or how countries work together to make the world a better place.”
At the awards ceremony that brought the weekend to a close, students were recognized for their accomplishments. Trinity Hall’s delegation was recognized as an Outstanding Delegation for 2025. McOmber and Grace Smith ’27 were among only 20 students selected from over the 1,400 delegates in attendance to attend the Conference on National Affairs (CONA) this summer. Buchanan, Lucinda Haney ’28, Bianca Scardino ’28, and Smith were named Premiere First-Year Delegates. Katherine Yehl ’27 earned the distinction of Outstanding Country while representing Indonesia. McOmber also received the remarkable honor of being selected as a committee chair for next year’s conference. She will plan her committee’s topics and collaborate with 26 other chairs to organize the 2026 MUN conference.
Lead chaperone and college counselor Gina Jadelis was impressed by members of the delegation throughout the weekend and has high hopes for the future of the delegation. As Jadelis emphasized, “I was extremely proud of how the girls cheered each other on and supported one another. I enjoy seeing all the lessons the students learn through Model UN, whether that is developing debate skills, collaborating with new peers, sitting next to a stranger or learning new information to make them better global citizens. It is the girls' passion and commitment that has made the club grow so rapidly in the past few years, and I can't wait to see what is in store for the future.”
The Trinity Hall community congratulates the Model UN delegates on a successful weekend and looks forward to supporting the delegation in future events.