STVM Model United Nations program earns top honors

December 15, 2024–The St. Vincent-St. Mary High School Model United Nations team recently brought home gold after competing at the Lorain Model United Nations Conference hosted by the Cleveland Council on World Affairs at Lorain County Community College. 

Winning top honors were sophomore Muriel Sabourin and freshman Aleena Kuttikadan, each receiving the First Place Best Delegate awards. Senior Emilie Faust, junior Emma Zawaski, junior Owen Schlueter and freshman Leiah Henderson received the Superior Delegate award. Receiving the Excellent Delegate award were freshmen Katie Ann Bickett and Hana Schen, while junior Kerrigan Sivak took home the Honorable Delegate award.

STVM’s Model Union Nations (UN) program has a long history of excellence, with the group winning many prestigious first place “Best Delegation” awards and honors over the years. This past summer, Advisor Ruby Kofsky was named the 2024 Distinguished Model UN Educator at the organization’s annual scholarship dinner and awards ceremony held  in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Each year, Model UN recognizes outstanding achievements made by conferences, educators, and individuals by presenting them with a MUNNY Award. Award winners are selected through a nationwide nomination process by the All-American Model United Nations in consultation with their student and teacher communities. Kofsky has volunteered with the St. Vincent-St. Mary High School  (STVM) Model UN program for the past 16 years. 

In addition, freshman Aleena Kuttikadan traveled to South Korea in November 2024 to compete in the Yale Model United Nations Korea XII conference as a member of the All-American Model United Nations travel team. She joins an eleven-year tradition of a STVM Model United Nations team member being selected to participate on the All-American Model United Nations travel team.

STVM's Model United Nations team provides a unique opportunity for students to debate foreign affairs and compete in conferences at the local and state levels and throughout the country. The team is the past winner of many “Best Delegation” championships held at universities throughout the country, including Vanderbilt, Ohio State, George Washington, American University and Carnegie Mellon.  Its members also have won multiple individual awards for Best Delegate as well as in other competition categories.