YMCA Model UN - Burlington County, New Jersey

Name: Tom Feeney

Delegation: Cranford High School

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Letter:

To the 2012 YMCA Model United Nations Conference:

            After two years of participation in the YMCA Model United Nations program, I have learned many valuable lessons and made lasting friendships.  Most importantly, I discovered the power of my own voice and that fact that I do indeed have the power to express it.  Applying this newfound ability has changed who I am and the actions that I take and has guided me to deciding to run for the position of Secretary General of this conference.  If elected, the changes I plan on implementing would be tangible and intangible, a line that has been so perfectly walked in previous conferences.  These changes will be centered around the goal of teaching delegates the power of their voices and inspire them to use it for the betterment of the world. 

            As Chair of the Council of Economic, I have taken part in a new committee structure that encourages delegate collaboration and maintains interest more so than any committee I have ever been in or heard of.  What separates CEA from other committees is that each topic is focused upon one at a time and at the end of each topic, one overarching resolution is passed to solve the issue.  This is accomplished by holding voting on resolutions to the end of debate on the topic and during this voting period the motion to divide the question is utilized, to edit out unwanted parts of each resolution, which are added together at the end of the voting topic, designed as a package resolution to solve the issue proposed by the topic.  Such a structure keeps delegates focused on one goal, which makes participating less intimidating and inspires debate, as everyone is debates on topic, not several.  The package solution forces the delegates to cooperate in order to solve the issue at hand, which supports the building of relationships.  If elected to Secretary General, I would work with the officers to bring this structure to the rest of the committees, with some minor changes due to committee sizes and previously established structures.  Although this new committee format seems complicated and confusing, but it tends to naturally flow and certainly improves delegates experience, as it avoids the monotony of some committee hearings.  Avoiding these pitfalls will make voicing one’s own opinion simpler and create a greater desire to do so. 

            A central column of Model UN is public speaking, thus in order to encourage delegates to speak their minds much of the conference must be kept the same.  However, a small change that could ease the delegates into the speaking process would be to have all delegates meet with other representatives of their nation prior to the first committee hearing.  This brief meeting would allow delegates to share their ideas with others easily, due to the minimal population of the groups and allow them to pick up talking points about their country from others.  These meetings would give delegates the confidence to speak in committee right from the start and help them be more knowledgeable of the country in which they represent.  The meetings may take up some time from the first hearing, but it will be a quality investment that will increase the delegates’ abilities to communicate with each other. 

            With these changes implemented into the conference, delegates would feel more comfortable transforming their thoughts into words, words that will motivate others to do the same.  When this trend begins, it cannot be stopped and it spreads to all other aspects of the conference, whether they are political, social, or any other aspect of life.  As Secretary General, it would be my duty to ensure that all delegates feel comfortable voicing their opinions to the world, which is a goal I am determined to fulfill, for I am still thankful to those before me who vowed to complete this same task.  

BIO: 

Grade: 11                                                                               Years in YMCA Model UN: 3

Country & committee Assignment: CEA A: Norway (Chair)

School /Delegation: Cranford High School

List past leadership positions held:

Council of Economic Advancement Chair, Legislative Officer for CHS Youth and Government,

Freshman Coordinator for CHS Model United Nations

List 3 strengths and 2 weaknesses you have and briefly explain:

Three adjectives that describe my strengths include determined, faithful, and strategic.  Giving anything less than my best effort is a foreign concept to me, a trait that I hope to bring to the planning of next year’s conference.  I am also faithful, in the sense that I am able to invest trust in those around me with faith that they will complete their tasks.  Third, I never make any decisions prior to accounting for all variables.  On the other hand, very often do I battle with self-doubt, which hinders my decision-making ability.  Additionally, I can be impatient at times, as I insist that tasks are completed as efficiently as possible. 

If elected as Secretary General, pick a relevant global issue you would consider as the conference them and explain a feasible project to address it:

Over the last several months, several tyrannical governments have been overthrown by the very people that they oppressed for many years.  With this in mind, a theme of “civic mindedness” would be a logical theme for the conference.  This theme would be accompanied by a “power to the people” feeling, which would be relatable to the politically engaged delegates.  Such a theme does not point directly to an obvious project, but one must keep in mind a government of the people needs to be educated to be successful, thus a book drive (especially if sent to these young democracies) would be feasible.  In addition, suggesting that delegates sign Amnesty International’s petition for release of a political prisoner (to be determined at a later date) would be simple but send a strong message to the delegates and to the world. 

Detail an instance where you acted socially responsible in accord with the goals of Y-MUN:

A few weeks ago, while working as a cross country coach at the local YMCA, a seven year old dropped back from his group and began to walk.  I asked him if he was ok, and he told me he was, he just had given up because he did not believe he was any good.  So I stayed with him, explaining how life is not about the end result of your success, it is about the journey and how much effort you put in.  Eventually, he decided to run again and still does to this day.  Although he might not be the best, he gives his all, which is just as much as anyone else can.