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Students from Dawson-Bryant Middle School, representing Bangladesh were awarded a plaque as Outstanding Country at the Lawrence County ESC’s annual Model UN event at Ohio University Southern on Thursday. (The Ironton Tribune | Heath Harrison)

Middle school students named as Outstanding Delegates at the Lawrence County ESC’s annual Model UN event. (The Ironton Tribune | Heath Harrison)

Students from Rock Hill Middle School, representing Japan, were awarded a plaque as Outstanding Country at the Lawrence County ESC’s annual Model UN event at Ohio University Southern on Thursday. (The Ironton Tribune | Heath Harrison)

Students from Ironton Middle School, representing Haiti, were awarded a plaque as Outstanding Country at the Lawrence County ESC’s annual Model UN event at Ohio University Southern on Thursday. (The Ironton Tribune | Heath Harrison)

Students from Rock Hill Middle School, representing Ukraine, were awarded a plaque as Outstanding Country at the Lawrence County ESC’s annual Model UN event at Ohio University Southern on Thursday. (The Ironton Tribune | Heath Harrison)

Students from Rock Hill Middle School, representing, Taiwan were awarded a plaque as Outstanding Country at the Lawrence County ESC’s annual Model UN event at Ohio University Southern on Thursday. (The Ironton Tribune | Heath Harrison)

Students from Dawson-Bryant Middle School, representing Brazil, were awarded a plaque as Outstanding Country at the Lawrence County ESC’s annual Model UN event at Ohio University Southern on Thursday. (The Ironton Tribune | Heath Harrison)

Middle school students named as Outstanding Delegates at the Lawrence County ESC’s annual Model UN event. (The Ironton Tribune | Heath Harrison)

Four middle schools took part in ESC event

Middle school students, wearing colorful costumes, gathered at Ohio University Southern on Thursday to take part in an event that lets them role play and learn about international politics.

The annual Model United Nations, organized by the Lawrence County Educational Service Center, took place in Bowman Auditorium for the first time in several years.

Gretta Taylor, student service coordinator for the ESC, said four schools, Symmes Valley, Rock Hill, Dawson-Bryant and Ironton, attended during its return from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wearing attire from their chosen countries, students covered several continents with nations such as Bangladesh, Ukraine, Sierra Leone, Haiti and Brazil.

The proceedings were moderated by Brea Belville, a Lawrence County Civic Scholar and Symmes Valley High School senior, who took part as a delegate when she was in middle school.

“The students pick a country that has a problem,” she said. “They can call for debate on the problem, present questions, resolutions and speeches. It’s similar to the real United Nations.”

At the close of the event, awards were given for Outstanding Country, Outstanding Resolution and Outstanding Delegates.

Problems covered in the event could include issues such as poverty, food and water scarcity and security.

Awards from 2022 Model UN:

Outstanding Country:
• Taiwan – Rock Hill – Kennedi Owens, Abby Schug, Mackenzie Nicely, Isaiah Fuhr, Nelson Dixon, Haven Noel, Gavin Brooks and Kelan Davidson.
• Ukraine – Rock Hill – Blayr Knipp, Nixon Snavely, Ben Simpson, Daniel Medinger and Ryan Riddle.
• Bangladesh – Dawson-Bryant – Rylan Smith, Mason Wheeler, Braelie Hitchcock and Adyan Chaffins.

Outstanding Resolution:
• Brazil – Dawson-Bryant – Madison Jenkins, Lori Belle Boyd, Lily Adkins, Darrien Otta, Hayden Hatcher and Braden Malone.
• Haiti – Ironton – Cole Taylor, Kylie Haynes, Alroa Hayden, Conner Frush, Nathan Malone, Derek Pack and Evee Gallion.
• Japan – Rock Hill – Mariska Miller, Grace White, Cole Greene, Liam Yancy, Hunter Workman and Shelby Wigandt.

Outstanding Delegates:
Rock Hill – Isaiah Fuhr (Taiwan), Liam Yancy (Japan), Kennedi Owens (Taiwan), Blayr Knipp (Ukraine) and Haven Noel (Taiwan); Ironton – Evee Gallion (Haiti) and Trinity Massey (sierra Leone); Dawson-Bryant – Mason Wheeler (Bangladesh), Lily Adkins (Brazil) and Lori Belle Boyd (Brazil).

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