Johnson County Community College
Press Release

College Information and Publications
913-469-8500
Julie Haas, Director, ext. 3120
Peggy Graham, Writer, ext. 3425
Tyler Cundith, Sports Information Director, ext. 3122

2/26/08
Story by Peggy Graham

JCCC Model U.N. Team Wins Awards

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. ­– The JCCC Model United Nations team won three Outstanding Delegation awards for its portrayal of Cuba and Peru at the 2008 Midwest Model United Nations Conference, St. Louis, Feb. 13-16. This accomplishment is attributable to the team’s head delegate Trent Brining, Overland Park, for his work representing Cuba’s policy positions before the Economic and Social Council (ESOSOC). The issues before ESOSOC included the “Information and Communication Technologies and Development, Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism, and Promoting Access to Freshwater.”

The team also won two honorable mention awards. An honorable mention award went to team captain Jared Hedge, Atwood, for his portrayal of Peru’s policy position on the Security Council regarding “The Situation in Afghanistan.” The second honorable mention award went to Jason Beury, Lawrence, for his portrayal of Cuba’s policy position on the “Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on Their Destruction.”

From one of only two community colleges, 12 JCCC students competed with students from more than 100 other universities and colleges from across North America. Besides Beury, Brining, and Hedge, the JCCC team members are co-captain Norman Decelles, Lawrence; Danny Eakins, Stilwell; Nida Fatima, Overland Park; Lois Grimshaw, Olathe; Haena Kahng, Lawrence; Kelly Parry, Olathe; Jamie Mills, Leavenworth; and co-captain Brandy Schmitz, Olathe. Team adviser is Brian Wright, associate professor, political science, Warrensburg, Mo.

In addition, JCCC team members worked as staff for the MMUN conference. Brandon Bezner, Overland Park, was chair of the General Assembly Second Committee: Economic and Financial; Rebecca Elo, Kansas City, Mo., was co-chair of the General Assembly First Committee: Disarmament and International Security; and Brian White, Lenexa, was co-chair of the Human Rights Council.

JCCC’s MMUN conference awards cap more than two years of success, during which the team has won awards at all of the last nine conferences they have attended. The JCCC Model U.N. team recently dedicated the JCCC Model U.N. honors wall and received a one-time Special Recognition award for its outstanding performance during the last academic year presented by the United Nations Association, Greater Kansas City Chapter, at the University of Missouri-Kansas City on Oct. 24, 2007.

The JCCC Model U.N. team will next attend the National Model United Nations and Leadership Conference at the United Nations, N.Y.,  March 16-21, where they will represent the country of Laos. In addition, JCCC and Wichita State University will be representing the Philippines in New York as part of a combined delegation.