Middle school students from several Shelby County schools recently participated in the Junior United Nations Assembly held at Birmingham-Southern College.

Montevallo Middle School delegates won the Outstanding Resolution award from among 47 schools in Alabama at the event. The students thoroughly researched and identified the problem of huge injustice being done to poverty-stricken children from India who cannot attend schools because of forced child labor, trafficking, and begging. They also recognized hunger as the root cause of this problem. The students then formatted and presented the mock UN Assembly a resolution to counteract this problem by making two meals available to children, so they could attend school and get a free K-12 education.

“The process of preparing and presenting this resolution enabled the students to use and enhance their leadership skills like effective collaboration, communication, critical thinking, analysis, and compassion. It is hoped that the students will use their inherent talents and embark on a journey to become the future world leaders and problem-solvers.” said Mona Guraya who served as the teacher sponsor for MMS. 

Columbiana Middle represented Bolivia. Their resolution was to reduce malnutrition in children in Bolivia. The costumes consisted of the girls wearing big skirts similar to the traditional Bolivian pollera skirt with matching sweater and shawl. The boys wore ponchos that matched the girls’ shawl. Columbiana Middle won an honorable mention for its display board of which the background was painted to represent the Laguna Verde, green lake.

 

Chelsea Middle School students had two teams to participate in the JUNA event.  Teacher Michelle Caiola sponsored a team representing Australia and Kathleen Collins sponsored a team representing Iceland.  The Australian team sponsored a resolution that addressed the world’s youth drug problem.  the Iceland delegation proposed a resolution to end commercial whaling.

The Australian team had its resolution passed from committee.  They also sent Security Council member, Savannah Osborne, to address nuclear testing being done in North Korean.  Chase Cowart also won the award for Best Boy Delegate for 2016. The Iceland delegation won an award for Best Artistic Display and also for Best Prepared Delegation.

Helena Middle School represented Brazil.  They sponsored a resolution to help combat poverty and increase the standard of living of Brazil’s street children through the implementation of writing centers.  The goal of the writing centers was to teach the children soft skills needed to be productive working adults.

Oak Mountain Middle School represented Egypt.  Their team successfully wrote and presented a resolution to improve Egypt’s current water crisis through the process of desalination, a filtering process that removes salt and minerals from water.  Specifically, the process turns salt water into fresh water that is suitable for drinking or irrigation of crops.