14 Mar If Only Adults Could Act Like 7th and 8th Grade Montessori Students from Around the World
It’s not that often a mayor tags along with 7th and 8th graders to a conference of 3,400 upper elementary and middle school students from 20 plus countries in the largest ballroom in New York City in the middle of Times Square. I did it Wednesday to Sunday and had a ball. Most important I was very proud of the students from Lowcountry Montessori School who participated in the Montessori Model United Nations.
Extremely well informed on their pre-assigned topics/issues, courteous in their discourse, and civil in their debate, these young people spent the better part of two days in caucuses leading to the highpoint of the event which was to formally present their cases and take actual votes in the Chamber of the United Nations. Very impressive. As adults we could learn from these young diplomats.
The delegation was led by the very capable Language Arts Teacher, Gina Zuberbier, of LMS and parents who did not need my help. Only one more body to account for as we wove our way through the circus in Times Square.
Prior to traveling to New York, the students studied a number of pressing international issues. When they got to the conference the students were broken into groups (100 - 150 students each) to discuss, debate, negotiate and ultimately vote. Furthermore, each delegation of students was assigned to represent a country to which they were foreign so they had to learn about other the policies of another country so they could represent it well.
This was a time well spent for the students and needless to say for me as I continue to better understand how to support leadership amount the young people who will one day run our city and schools, our county and state and nation.
Lowcountry Montessori Middle School Students who Attended the Model UN in New York
7th and 8th Grade Students
Raven Benjamin
Lydia Suber
Maleyna Carver
Brian Rogers
Ashton Viets
Jack Fleming
Gracie Glover
Abi Wiley
Katelyn Carter
Abbie Pollitzer