First Spanish Model UN in DPS

THEY REPRESENTED 16 COUNTRIES | About 30 students participated in the United Nations drill. (Photos/The Colorado Trade)

IN NORTH HIGH SCHOOL

Sofia Marquez/ El Comercio de Colorado

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On Saturday March 19th, 33 high school students gathered in North High School library early in the morning, ready for a long day of debating and negotiating ahead. The students were participating in Denver Public Schools first model United Nations Spanish conference. In teams of two or three, they represented sixteen different countries debating the topics of technology and education.

Students had three months to investigate their respective countries, and to find how they were in the field of education and technology. ​​At the Model UN conference, they negotiated and found solutions to the problems they found in their respective countries, stated their positions and sought alliances with the other teams for new solutions and negotiated the best course of option after a series of discussions and agreements.

This event has been in the making for two years now, a project that different teachers from DPS have been working on together to come to fruition. They explained to us how this is an opportunity for growth and skill development for both students and teachers alike.

Comprehensive experience

Model UN has allowed these students to further develop their Spanish-language skills and given them an opportunity to speak Spanish in a more formal setting. South High School teacher Fernando Pabón. tells us that they want to “show families and students that we do tireless work in the classroom. It is a job in which we respect our students’ culture and try to foster excitement for them to further their spanish-language skills.”

“In the past, I have seen students that do Model UN decide to enter careers related to international studies or debate because they realize they are capable of participating in these events,” tells us Dr. Inmaculada Martín, and that she hopes these events will allow the students to carry these skills into college and further.

Help from middle school students

The high school students were not the only ones participating in the event. 10 middle school students also joined the mock conference and aided the event by passing the microphone, taking pictures, and interviewing the participants. McAuliffe International School teacher Olga Jordan Llorente offered ten of her students with the highest grade in the class the opportunity to participate in the event.

She explained that these students were excited to participate in the event due to the opportunity they would have to further their spanish-language skills for when they reach high school and were interested in journalism and the debate aspect of Model UN.

“Our objective is to continue growing and to have the possibility to have more schools and more delegations participate in our events, as well as have Denver Public Schools take notice of World Languages and the Spanish Language arts departments… to achieve recognition for the work that us Spanish teachers do in the classroom,” says Pabón.

TEACHERS AND LEADERS OF THE ACTIVITY | Inmaculada Martín from North High School and Fernando Pabón from South High School