Mt. Lebanon Model U.N. keeps winning
As the 3:00 bell rings on a Friday afternoon inside Mt. Lebanon High School, most kids are charging out the door ready for the weekend, while a few dozen students are hammering away on keyboards in preparation for another Monday tournament in which they must defend their stances on human rights atrocities and censorship against other envious dictators and idealistic world leaders.
It’s the Model United Nations team of course, and the Mt. Lebanon squad is coming off its third consecutive win at the annual Penn State Tournament. With the high school notching the second-highest school performance profile in Allegheny County, the program is exemplary of how interdisciplinary competition gets kids thinking about research, debate, negotiation and performance all at once.
“Once you do one competition, it gets in your blood,” said George Savarese, a history teacher who’s been the team coach since 1997.
He, along with co-coach Peter DiNardo, a government teacher, have led the team to strings of victories over the years by focusing on a collaborative yet competitive strategy that hones the students’ skills. Going from 10 students when he first started to now having a roster of 86, Savarese said it’s the competitive atmosphere that keeps students coming out.
“It’s like football. The upperclassmen have been here, done their dues, and have the practical experience to succeed at a high level. The freshmen, the sophomores, if you’re good, you get a spot in tournaments, but most of the time they understand it’s like being on the junior varsity team: practice until you get good,” Savarese said. Some of that practice comes from getting comfortable with awkward country delegation appointments – like North Korea – forcing students such as Mitchell Bognar to act as if he were an indignant dictator.
“The challenge is you have to play it realistically, but also acknowledge what you can and can’t do. I believe the judges liked that I was going after people for open Internet and privacy issues related to censorship. I said to the committee, ‘Well if you don’t allow Internet, you won’t have censorship! You should be modeling your privacy policies after us!’ and I think it worked to a degree,” the 17-year-old senior said, “and while it’s important to be creative with your strategy, you have to be authentic.”
Savarese said teams are appointed their delegations about a week out and students have to bone up on policy, current events and strategy to erode the points of competitors.
“The Economist has a great piece on Russia. You’ll need to read that,” he said to a student representing Ukraine. “Look, you don’t have to worry about the little stuff. Think big picture policy issues here … the U.S just committed 1,500 troops to Iraq today. See what that might do to you,” he advises another.
Practice comes down to research and rapid-fire question and answer sessions that prepare the students for juggling negotiations and debate.
“Judges are looking for realism, sound arguments and knowing the actual policies of the countries … these kids have to write position papers, develop solid public speaking skills – to convince students to form alliances while still debating; all while handling people questioning your own stances. Thinking critically and quickly is key,” Savarese said, “But ultimately, the judges never give feedback – just if you won or not.”
Senior Taylor Dumaine, 17, said Model U.N. taught her how to negotiate.
“I started out being very passionate and trying to argue every single point. But you can get too caught up in it. You have to learn which points to concede for the time being so you don’t annoy other countries’ delegates. You need to learn when to present your cards and not be so anxious,” Dumaine said.
Sitting beside Dumaine prepping for his role in an ad hoc security council, was 17-year-old Namandeep Singh, sharply dressed in a suit with a matching turban and kerchief. He recalled representing India at a previous tournament, saying he enjoyed the role because of real-life experiences.
“My grandfather was living in Pakistan when there was much bloodshed between the two countries … hearing his stories and knowing what he experienced helped develop a more holistic view of what was going on in that I could argue it in a forum,” he said.
Some alumni go on to be real-life diplomats and negotiators, according to Savarese.
“I just got an email a few weeks ago from a former student who’s now working for an investment firm in New York that deals a lot with China. So he said he’s using what he learned here to get the best for his clients.”
“But regardless of their futures, a majority of these kids who come out as freshmen are shy, bashful students. To see them come out as assertive speakers who can talk about real-world issues is just an amazing feeling.”