Madison Stessman receives Jenay Weekly Officer Award

Model United Nations is a club in which students typically roleplay delegates to the United Nations and simulate UN committees. This activity takes place during conferences organized by surrounding high schools or colleges. The conferences are designed for student delegates to represent their assigned country’s point of view on a variety of topical issues. The simulation encourages debate, fosters cooperation, and assists young leaders to resolve problems diplomatically. At the end of most conferences, outstanding delegates in each committee are recognized and given award certificates.

Madison Stessman joined the Model UN club six years ago when she was in the seventh grade. She remembers being terrified, only speaking a few times at her first conference. “I asked questions and never gave a speech because I was too scared” admitted Madison. Since Madison has become a very successful participant of Model UN. The past two years she has been an Officer of Model UN, and during Madison’s last conference held on February 26th and 27th at the Downtown Ramada Inn, she was President of the seventh-grade council. As President, Madison was there to teach the seventh-grade council parliamentary procedures and facilitate the debate. To her surprise, the seventh-grade council was not nervous at all. Madison was very proud of how eager they were to debate. The seventh-grade council came home with multiple awards.

The seventh-grade participants were not the only ones coming home with an award that weekend. Madison was awarded the Jenay Weekly Officer Award. Judges of the conference felt that Madison was very organized and knowledgeable about the procedural part of running the council. "I placed her in a seventh-grade council to be a role model and to teach the newcomers how Topeka Model United Nations works. I knew that her council would get a fun, educational, and rewarding experience because of her leadership" stated Tracie Lamb.  “I was very surprised and did not expect to win the award. It was very flattering” said Madison.

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Madison would love to come back next year and become a judge, however upon graduating she has decided to study zoology at Oklahoma State University. Madison advises students to take an interest in the Model UN club next year, “you meet a lot of great people, learn a lot about the world, and it gives you a great experience.” Congratulations Madison on receiving an Outstanding Delegate Award at the Model UN conference and good luck with all your endeavors in the future!