From Jan. 10-12, WHS students returned to the Hershey Lodge in Hershey, PA once again to talk international relations and world issues at the annual YMCA Model United Nations conference.
Throughout the 3-day conference, 78 WHS students represented the Westfield delegation out of the approximately 1,700 at the conference.
Students took part in debate, discussion and collaborative problem-solving within their MUN committees, ranging from large groups such as General Assembly, to smaller group like Pan- American Summit and Press. Each student had specific world issues to debate in their committees on behalf of their assigned country.
Regardless of which committee they were a part of, WHS students agree that MUN has benefitted their communication skills, whether it be public speaking or personal collaborations.
Sophomore and first-year MUN delegate Elise Dowden said, “Since starting the conference, I think I have developed better public speaking skills and gained friendship skills.” Dowden also felt that being in a larger committee enhanced her ability to talk and work with “different types of people.”
Returning sophomore Sofia Gensler-Canale agreed that over the two conferences she has attended, her “people skills” have improved. Gensler-Canale celebrated the value of the creative liberty she has found in MUN as a part of the press committee: “I love how our ideas come together and how they build the great things we have produced.”
WHS students had immense success at this year’s conference, with four students elected for officer positions for next year’s conference and five selected to attend the Conference on National Affairs this summer. Junior Gabriela Castillo was also elected to serve as Secretary General and lead the 2026 conference.
Castillo is thrilled with this honor and looks forward to overseeing her MUN community in 2026. “I want to do what was done for me throughout all my three years at MUN. I have had great Secretary Generals who have helped me with my confidence,” Castillo said. “I want to be the leader that [builds] the community that made my experience so special. And I want to make sure everyone feels heard, seen and supported throughout the whole conference.”
Figures like Castillo have always helped make MUN the welcoming experience that it is. MUN Advisor Daniel Farabaugh noted that MUN is a place where students can develop beyond the classroom, as he sees students gain new argumentative skills, learning to make logical claims independently. According to Farabaugh, MUN is a place “where students can find themselves” and pursue their varied interests.
With the impact students made at this year’s conference, many are already looking forward to next year, where students will continue to hone their communication and leadership skills as they represent WHS.