Manlius Pebble Hill students win top prize at prestigious Model U.N. event in Beijing

Posted: Mar 27, 2017 05:35 PM EDT

MANLIUS (WSYR-TV) – A group of 18 students from Manlius Pebble Hill school brought back the top bragging rights from a prestigious Model United Nations competition in Beijing, China.

The students arrived from Beijing last week. Harvard University sponsored the event. “We’re very adaptable,” Charlie Mann, a sophomore who competed, said. “So we adapted to the situation and worked from there.”

Nearly 60 schools and a thousand students were pitted against each other. MPH had the distinction of being the only American school participating.

17 out of their 18 students received individual honors. The group collectively earned the prize of best international delegation.

“Everyone is trying to advocate for their country’s policy,” Jeongyoon Han, a senior member of the team said. “It’s always such a fast paced committee and experience for everyone.”

The students spent their time at the competition debating complex issues like military privatization or corporate corruption. “They have to find solutions to these major world problems,” Sarah Chhablani, a teacher at MPH who accompanied the students, said. “They do that through incredible research. Through high level debate. And negotiation and compromise.”

Zach Montas, another senior on the team, said the experience was the perfect way to cap off his high school career. “We know everyone puts in such hard work,” Montas said. “But I’ve never seen it be so unanimous that everyone is succeeding at such a high level, at such a highly competitive conference, in this manner.”