11/08/07
Story by Peggy Graham

JCCC U.N. Team Wins in Washington, D.C.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The Johnson County Community College Model United Nations Team won an honorable mention award for its portrayal of the Ukraine at the National Model United Nations  Conference in Washington, D.C., Nov. 1-4.  

Twelve JCCC  students competed with other colleges and universities from across North  America, Europe and Asia.  JCCC team members are Jean Edmonds, team president, Gardner; Norman Decelles, vice president,  Lawrence;  Brandy Schmitz, vice president, Olathe; Calvin Baumgarten, Kansas City, Kan.; Amy Pepper, Cheney; Jerome Berndt, Berlin, Germany; Viktoryia Schnose, Overland Park; Mick Larson Overland Park; Stephanie Goings, Lawrence; Brian White, Lenexa; Joe DeNoon,  Gardner; and Rebecca Elo, head delegate, Kansas City, Mo. The team adviser is Brian Wright, JCCC associate professor, political science.  

This NMUN award in Washington, D.C., caps two years of success for JCCC, during which time the team has won awards at the last six conferences it has attended.  The JCCC MUN  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.

More than 600 students participated in the Nov. 1-4 conference, proposing resolutions and writing reports dealing with world issues. The issues discussed range from the impact of climate change on water resources to bolstering regional macroeconomic coordination to protecting human rights in Darfur. The conference helps students to further understand and discuss global issues and  international relations in a forum  similar to that of the United Nations.