The Community YMCA Arrowhead branch brought seven students from Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft, to the YMCA Model United Nations Assembly Program, held recently in Hershey, Pa. The program is designed to introduce students to the operation and structure of the United Nations, and give them a chance to learn about different cultures and debate global issues. Students from New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York participated in the conference.
The Christian Brothers students, led by Community YMCA Teen Director Katie Kelly and Special Advisor Andrew Lampert, represented the Bahamas and Jamaica. The students chose these countries and researched different topics such as population, economy, government and culture in order to debate the issues from the point of view of those particular countries. The students learned Parliamentary order and procedure, which is used during U.N. debates.
The students were Nicholas Abbate, 17, and Kevin Bertoncin, 16, both of Red Bank; Anthony Habib, 16, Freehold; Gavin Tully, 16, Howell; Jonathan Kurien, 15, Colts Neck; Frank Lombardi, 14, Wayside section of Tinton Falls; and Matthew Restuccio, 17, Hazlet.
"The YMCA Model U.N. program truly allows its participants to gain a global perspective, as well as develop public speaking skills, improve research abilities, and gives them a chance to make new friends outside of their community," said Kelly.
Prior to the conference the delegates wrote papers based on their research covering topics such as terrorism prevention, the Arab-Israeli conflict, AIDS, child slavery, and drug trafficking.
Students were divided into small regional committees and debated topics, and worked with other students to develop resolutions. Later, the regional committees combined and the resolutions that were passed were once again up for debate among the larger group.
The Community YMCA/Christian Brothers Academy delegation won an Outstanding Delegation Award, given to a select few groups based on preparation, prompt delivery and close adherence to all program rules.
The Community YMCA teen department plans on taking a delegation consisting of students from local high schools to the YMCA New Jersey Youth and Government Conference in March. Youth and Government is a teen leadership program established by the YMCA.
The Community YMCA offers a teen center, teen nights, a youth and government program, the Y-Work club, the YMCA leaders club, counseling and teen sports programs to approximately 2,600 teen-agers, ages 12-17.