JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Model U.N. is transforming lives at Fletcher High School for students like Tristan Rodriguez.
“It forces you to collaborate with other people that really taught me both how to be a better public speaker and how to relate to and put myself in the shoes of other people,” Rodriguez said. “One thing about kind of learning international diplomacy is that it forces you to have empathy.”
Rodriguez and fellow club members Kaden Young, Nathan Tusing, and Luca Vincent discussed the funding challenges they face. Often, families must cover the costs of conferences themselves, which can be a significant financial burden.
“These three all went to Chicago in January. I was one of the students that wanted to go, but it was just a little bit too high of a price tag,” Vincent said. “I was pretty bummed about that, and I know we had a lot of other students in the club that really wanted to go as well.”
Students who have attended out-of-state conferences have experienced the impact firsthand.
“We’ve had culture shocks, like, even as simple as going to Chicago. It was so much different than the perspective of being in Jacksonville,” Young said. “You can’t really experience what it’s like to live in a certain context without actually going there.”
While the club receives sponsorships from local businesses like Angie’s Subs and the Atlantic Beach Rotary Club, it still struggles to secure enough funding for all students to attend conferences.
“Money does play an unfortunate role in a lot of public school education,” said Sarah Daniels, the Model U.N. club sponsor. “It would be nice if it was more funded or more exposed, so that others can donate or contribute in whichever way they can, to ensure that no student gets left behind.”
Increasing funding could be life-changing for students involved in Model U.N.
“If we can get this funding, our youth will know more,” Tusing said. “They’ll be able to talk about more. They’ll be able to teach more to other people who might not be in these clubs and have these opportunities. The effects of Model U.N. stretch far beyond just the people in Model U.N.”
Despite the ongoing funding challenges, seeing students grow with the resources available is incredibly rewarding.
“They might not pay us well, but we certainly still get paid in the love that these kids have for learning,” Daniels said.
Fletcher High School is hosting its annual Model U.N. conference this Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Anyone can attend to learn more about the club. For more information, email Sarah Daniels at Danielss2@DuvalSchools.org
