During Spring Break, 11 brave students and two teachers embarked on a trip to New York to represent Shawnigan at the National High School Model United Nations. This conference is the largest of its kind in the entire world, boasting more than 3900 delegates. While Shawnigan has done extremely well in local events and even national conferences, how we would fare against the rest of the world was a question yet to be answered.

The trip did get off to a rather worrying start: A 4am wake-up call to begin the journey was followed up by a cancelled flight out of Toronto and a mad scramble to find accommodation to avoid sleeping on our suitcases in the terminal. That was coupled with power outages in the hotel as a massive winter storm smashed the city. Another 4am morning and we were finally on our way to the Big Apple.

New York is everything that's written about it and more: big, noisy, dirty, amazing, bright. In so many ways it is the capital of the world. It is such an amazing place that the crippling fatigue that gripped the group was forgotten in favour of the sights and sounds of one of the world's greatest cities. Day one was spent getting acquainted with the city and the hotel in preparation for the conference ahead.

The conference itself was a resounding success. The Shawnigan delegates were instrumental in getting position papers passed in all of their committees, and were clearly the most outstanding delegates in many of the rooms as well. The team was recognized in particular through the efforts of Max B. and Gabriela M. who were selected to speak on behalf of their committee in the General Assembly at the United Nations. Gabriela calmly addressed 5000 people in a room where so many major decisions have taken place. Truly looking the part of an experienced diplomat, she spoke eloquently and confidently about the successes of her committee.

The trip wasn't all hard work: The group visited Ground Zero, a place where many might argue that the 21st century truly began. Times Square was visited a number of times as was 5th avenue, Wall Street and Broadway. The group took in a surprisingly good show in Wicked and had dinner at a restaurant where the servers literally danced on the tables. The group bonded together, got along famously, and represented the school admirably on what was an excellent and rewarding Model UN experience. Shawnigan has certainly left a mark on the NHSMUN conference and New York City itself!

– Mr. Tom Lupton