The Post-Covid Decade

It took 753 days, but the Riverview Model UN team finally had an opportunity to participate at another in-person Model UN conference! The conference at Duquesne University on Thursday, March 3 marked a return to traditional Model UN conferences, leaving the virtual conference world in the past.  The day began with high anxiety for the many students who had never been to a traditional conference and excitement for those who were returning to the activity that caught their interest before the pandemic.  As the day progressed, the training and patience that the team perfected during the last few years rose to the occasion as our Riverview delegates once again made the district proud by debating, negotiating, and listening in the Riverview way...with class.  At the end of the day, members of the team walked away with 4 awards (listed below) but more importantly with pride.  Congratulations to the team in its return to "real" Model UN and to the 5 members who won awards at the conference.  This brings the total of awards for the year to 27.  The team will be back in action in April for the final three conferences of the year.

Naomi Girson won Best Overall Delegate for the entire conference for her role as Nicole Hoevertsz in the International Olympic Committee

Paul Domhoff and Georgia Tsambis won First Place Best Delegate for their role as Japan in the Robot Arms Control Committee

Caroline Harden won Second Place Outstanding Delegate for her role as Ivan Skvortsov-Stepanov in the Russian Constituent Assembly

Olivia Wilton won Second Place Outstanding Delegate for her role as India in the United Nations Security Council.

The weekend of April 21-24 saw the Model UN Team split its squad to attend two final scheduled conferences for the year.   Most of the team attended a conference at Westminster College on Thursday, April 21 while six members of the team attended a 4-day conference at Cornell University.  The Westminster conference brought together many local schools for one final time this season and the Cornell conference had 500 in-person delegates from across the country.  Each of the split squads had successful conferences debating current topics ranging from aid for global climate refugees to education for indigenous peoples and historical topics such as the Paris Peace Conference and the Spanish Civil War.  The team ended its year successfully, receiving awards and recognition at each of the conferences.   The delegates who received recognition at the conferences are listed below.  

Westminster College Model UN

Georgia Tsambis and Drew Ogrodowski won Third Place Honorable Delegation for their role as the United Kingdom in the Paris Peace Conference

Susan Pronio and Luke Huffman won Third Place Honorable Delegation for their role as Nicaragua in General Assembly 3 - Social, Cultural, Humanitarian Committee

Cornell University Model United Nations

Alanna Wachocki won Second Place Outstanding Delegate for her role as Eduardo Vastibarrio in the Spanish Civil War Republican Committee

The team ended its 2021-2022 Model UN season with 32 total awards, tying this years' team with the 2019-2020 team for the most awards ever earned by a Riverview team in a season.   The year, which had the students participating in virtual conferences through February and ending in-person, set a solid foundation for the future with many different members of the team, Senior through Freshmen, receiving recognition at the different conferences.  As we end the year, the team would also like to thank its three Seniors (Xavier Bear, Moth Morrissey, Jo Schaaf) for their dedication to the team. 

On Wednesday, December 7 a team of 19 Riverview students competed in the 18th annual University of Pittsburgh Model European Union simulation.  The event had over 200 participants from 13 local high schools discussing the serious issues currently facing the nations of the European Union.  Throughout the event, students considered solutions to the food and energy crisis in Europe as well as discussing the shattered sense of security that the nations feel due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.   The Riverview team had a great day with its novice delegates learning many skills for future conferences and its veteran delegates earning recognition for their performance in the conference.  The team earned 5 total awards for their work during the day bringing its total to 25 for the fall season.  The team will return to action after the winter break with a trip to the University of Michigan.  

Declan Hawk and Joey Inzinga - Second Place Outstanding Delegation as Poland

Lola Abraham and Alanna Wachocki - Third Place Honorable Delegation as Poland 

Jordan Grogg and Brandon Williams - Third Place Honorable Delegation as Austria

Renton Biondich and Carter Loughren - Second Place Position Paper Award as Austria

Emily Chen and Sienna Daley - Third Place Position Paper Award as Greece

The weekend of February 9 - 12, 2023 saw 7 members of the Riverview Model UN Team travel to the University of Toronto Model UN for the first time.  This conference, held on the University of Toronto St. George campus brought together students from schools across the Canadian provinces and a few American High Schools.  

Our team of students participated in many different-sized committees (varying from 12-60 students), and debated issues including education in developing nations, re-creating the committees of the French Revolution, and enduring the political and economic impact of landing on a foreign planet.  For the third time this year, our team won a travel delegation award, taking home the Outstanding Small Delegation Award at the conference (second place small school).  The award winning team was comprised of seniors Declan Hawk, Alanna Wachocki, and Olivia Wilton; juniors Callie Harden, Cohen Hoolahan, and Georgia Tsambis; and sophomore Renton Biondich.  Three members of the team also earned individual awards for the weekend.

Georgia Tsambis - First Place Best Delegate as China in UNICEF (The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund)

Alanna Wachocki - First Place Best Delegate as Jacques Pierre Brissot in the French Revolution Committee

Cohen Hoolahan - Third Place Honorable Delegate as France in UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe)

Congratulations to the entire team on another impressive team performance.  The four awards obtained at this conference bring the year total to 36, eclipsing the Model UN Team season recond of 32 that was obtained twice prior.   

On Wednesday, February 22, 9 members of the Riverview Model UN team participated in the third annual University of Pittsburgh Asia Challenge.  The event requires students to participate in a simulation representing the nations that comprise the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, a free trade partnership of Asia-Pacific countries.  The topics discussed were continued Covid policies within the Asia nations as well as how to deal with the rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait.  The day concluded with seven of our members bringing home individual awards.

Georgia Tsambis - First Place Best Delegate as Indonesia

Chiara Brun - First Place Position Paper

Lola Abraham - Second Place Outstanding Delegate as Malaysia

Joey Inzinga - Second Place Outstanding Delegate as China

Carter Loughren - Second Place Outstanding Delegate as Singapore

Chiara Brun - Third Place Honorable Delegate as Vietnam

Molly Morrissey and Noah Prosky - Third Place Honorable Delegates as Thailand

The awards at this competition bring the total to 48.  The team will take a few weeks off before senior members travel to the Rome International Model UN Conference.  

On Thursday, April 13 the Riverview Model UN wrapped up its 2022-23 season at Westminster College for the twelfth annual Westminster Model United Nations Conference.  The competition brought together over 225 students from 16 high schools in the tri-state area and was an opportunity for the 20 members of our team in attendance to recognize how much they have progressed throughout the year.   The team was recognized with 4 awards for the conference.  

The group of Cohen Hoolahan, Kylie Longstreth, Carter Loughren, Drew Ogrodowski, and Sidda Sykes received the Second Place Outstanding Delegation Award as Belgium.

Carter Loughren won First Place Best Delegate as Belgium in the Economic and Social Committee

Cohen Hoolahan and Drew Ogrodowski won First Place Delegation as Belgium in the Berlin Conference of 1884 committee

Alanna Wachocki won Honorable Delegate recognition as Botswana in the Economic and Social Council

This brings the 2022-2023 Model UN year to a close.  The year was a record-breaking season for the Riverview team which won an incredible 56 awards this year.  The team should be commended on its professionalism and continued desire to learn and improve, but most importantly for its interest in solving world issues.  It is also imperative to thank our Senior members for their leadership and passion for the team over the past four years.  Naomi Girson, Declan Hawk, Joey Inzinga, Kylie Longstreth, Alanna Wachocki, and Olivia Wilton have been an integral and consistent part of the team since 2019.  The current success of the team is directly related to the guidance and example that these six incredible young leaders have shown our underclassmen.  They guided the team through the Covid years and have led us to an even stronger place than any of us thought possible.  Thank you, seniors, for all that you have done for the Riverview MUN team.  

Riverview wins Best Small Delegation at Princeton Model UN for Second Consecutive Year!

The Riverview Model UN team made its annual trip to Princeton University to attend its first travel conference of the year; the 4-day Princeton Model UN Conference (November 16-19, 2023).  The team of 8 students (Seniors Jordan Grogg, Cohen Hoolahan, Georgia Tsambis, and Brandon Williams; Juniors Renton Biondich, Carter Loughren and Drew Ogrodowski; Sophomore Rocco Brown) competed against over 1000 students from 60 schools and 6 different countries in committees spanning centuries, continents, and issues.  Whether debating Papal succession in the 1300's, the Chinese Civil War, or political discord in the British House of Commons, our students were involved throughout the weekend writing papers, sharing innovative plans, and making impassioned speeches.   The competition was as unique as ever at PMUNC and the team once again eclipsed the competition.  For the second year in a row, the Riverview team was named as Best Small Delegation at the conference meaning it was recognized as one of the top two schools for the entire conference.  The team also had 4 students win individual awards over the weekend:

Cohen Hoolahan - First Place Best Delegate in the Chinese Civil War Committee

Georgia Tsambis - First Place Best Delegate in the Council of Constance Committee

Drew Ogrodowski - Second Place Outstanding Delegate in the British House of Commons

Carter Loughren - Third Place Honorable Delegate in the Mexican PRI Committee

Congratulations to the team for an unprecedented weekend.  These awards take the team total to 20 for the year.  The team will be back in action on Tuesday, December 5 at the University of Pittsburgh Model European Union.  

Over the weekend of January 11-14, nine members of the Riverview Model UN Team braved a winter storm, brutally cold temperatures, and the challenge of over 700 students from 28 midwestern states at the 37th annual University of Michigan Model United Nations Conference (MUNUM).  The team set out to defend its Best Small Delegation win at MUNUM last season and performed well under tremendous challenges from other strong delegates.  During the 4-day conference, our students debated the legality of the Consumer Protection Act of the early 1900's, viability of the electric car movement of the 2030's, significance of the United Fruit Company in Guatemala, and how to keep the peace in 1870's Dodge City among other topics.  The team earned 8 total awards for the weekend, 7 individual awards and a second straight Best Small School Delegation Award at Michigan.  Members of the winning team are Seniors - Callie Harden, Cohen Hoolahan, Georgia Tsambis, and Brandon Williams; Juniors - Renton Biondich, Chiara Brun, Molly Morrissey, and Drew Ogrodowski; and Sophomore Murphy Hawk.  

Chiara Brun - First Place Best Delegate as Senator Murphy Foster in the Consumer Protection Committee

Georgia Tsambis - First Place Best Delegate in the Czech Revolution Midnight Crisis Committee

Georgia Tsambis - First Place Best Delegate as Abelardo Ibarra in the Angolan Civil War Committee

Renton Biondich - Second Place Outstanding Delegate as Vincent Cobee of Citroen in the European Automobile Manufacturers Association

Callie Harden - Second Place Outstanding Delegate as Valentina Lopez in the United Fruit Company Ad Hoc Committee

Brandon Williams - Second Place Outstanding Delegate as Patrick Sughrue in the Dodge City Committee

Drew Ogrodowski - Third Place Honorable Delegate as King Victor Emmanual I in the Congress of Vienna

Congratulations to the team for an amazing weekend.  The 8 weekend awards increase the total for the year to 35 in our 4 competitive conferences.  The team is next in action at the University of Toronto in February.

On Tuesday, February 20, 21 members of the Riverview Model United Nations team participated in the 4th annual Asia Challenge competition.  This event is similar to a Model UN but enables students to focus on Asia-Pacific nations that are often overlooked on the international stage.  The students participated in discussions and debates that centered around topics essential to the populations of the region such as the rise of smart cities, protection of indigenous languages, and the use of artificial intelligence in the growing world economy. The team won a total of five awards at the event.

Aicha Jaafar - First Place Best Position Paper

Chiara Brun and Grace Johnson - First Place Best Delegates in the Digital Inclusion Committee

Aicha Jaafar and Carter Loughren - Second Place Best Delegates in the Sustainable Cities and Communities Committee

Lola Abraham - Third Place Honorable Delegate in the Digital Inclusion Committee

Murphy Hawk and Siddaly Sykes - Third Place Honorable Delegates in the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Committee 

These awards increase the team total to 42 awards for the year.  

The weekend of April 11-14, 2024 saw the Riverview Model UN Team travel to Evanston, Illinois to compete in at the 21st Northwestern Model UN Conference for its final travel conference of the year.  The team of 8 students was comprised of all underclassmen who utilized this conference as a way to learn different skills and techniques to better prepare themselves for the 2024-2025 season.   The conference brought together over 700 students from 40 schools from across the country and asked students to learn the history of the Aztec civilization, Philippine government, and Nigeria - Biafra War as well as solve the current problems of the refugee crisis and the global economy.   The young team was very successful this weekend, being highlighted in the topic discussions and award consideration.  The members of the team who competed at Northwestern were juniors Renton Biondich, Chiara Brun, Carter Loughren, and Drew Ogrodowski and sophomores Rocco Brown, Murphy Hawk, Aicha Jaafar, and Siddaly Sykes.   Four of the students were recognized with individual awards for the weekend:

Drew Ogrodowski - First Place Best Delegate in the 1971 Pakistan Committee

Chiara Brun - Second Place Outstanding Delegate in the Tenochtitlan Committee

Carter Loughren - Fourth Place Verbal Commendation in the Nigerian Committee

Rocco Brown - Position Paper Awrad as the Portuguese Republic in the League of Nations

Congratulations to the team on a great weekend at Northwestern.  The awards at NUMUN XXI bring the team total to 52 for the year.  

The weekend of November 21-24 saw eight members of the Riverview Model UN team travel to Princeton University for its annual conference.  This year's iteration of PMUNC brought together 950 students from 8 different countries leading to a weekend of spirited debate and intense international planning.  Our team of four juniors (Rocco Brown, Murphy Hawk, Aicha Jaafar, and Siddaly Sykes) and four seniors (Renton, Biondich, Chiara Brun, Carter Loughren, and Drew Ogrodowski) immersed themselves into debate quickly and were integral role-players in the decision making of each room.  At the end of the conference, five members of the team were recognized with awards.  

Carter Loughren - First Place Best Delegate as Etienne Pasquier in the Huguenot Crisis Committee

Siddaly Sykes - First Place Best Position Paper as Yemen in the Arab League

Chiara Brun - Second Place Outstanding Delegate as Kim Jae-gyu in the Korean Poplar Tree Incident Committee

Rocco Brown - Third Place Honorable Delegate as Kodama Yoshio in the Japan Anpo Protests Committee

Aicha Jaafar - Verbal Commendation as Muquali in the Mongol Empire Committee

These awards bring the team total to 10 for the year.  The Model UN team will be back in action on December 4 for the Great Lakes Invitational Conference in Kalamazoo, MI.

On Tuesday, December 10 the Riverview Model UN team had 23 students attend the 20th annual University of Pittsburgh Model European Union.  The conference brought together students from 19 schools to discuss the challenges facing the European Union in the current political climate, especially sustainability challenges and how to deal with the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.  This conference was the final activity for the fall season and first full team activity of the year.  11 members of the team won awards at the conference as the team won a total of 12 awards on the day.  The team ends the fall season with a total of 24 awards.  

Aicha Jaafar - First Place Best Delegate as Croatia

Carter Loughren - First Place Best Delegate as Hungary

Drew Ogrodowski - First Place Best Delegate as Hungary

Rocco Brown and Tatum Grimes - First Place Best Delegation as Croatia

Murphy Hawk and Aliyah Lookabaugh - First Place Best Delegation as Croatia

Dimitri Hong - First Place Position Paper

Carter Loughren - First Place Position Paper

Chiara Brun - Second Place Outstanding Delegate as Belgium

Aliyah Lookabaugh - Second Place Position Paper

Dimitri Hong and Blake Huffman - Third Place Honorable Delegation as Finland

Brady Daugherty - Third Place Position Paper

Aicha Jaafar - Third Place Position Paper

The weekend of February 7-9 took the Riverview Model UN team to the University of Toronto in Canada for its final combined group travel conference of the year.  The 18th iteration of the University of Toronto Model UN hosted 1,100 students from 4 different countries.  The Riverview team of 9 members immediately took the lead in their committee rooms and were praised by many chairs and delegates for their impressive speeches and creative ideas.  The team enjoyed the winter weather and creative committees that U of T created and embraced their roles throughout the 3-day conference.  For their impressive performance, the team of Seniors Renton Biondich, Chiara Brun, Carter Loughren, Molly Morrissey, and Drew Ogrodowski; Juniors Murphy Hawk and Aicha Jaafar; and Sophomores Hannah Hudack and Ryland Ogrodowski were awarded the Best Small Delegation Award as the First-Place small school at the conference.  Additionally, 5 students also won individual awards at the conference.

Chiara Brun - First Place Best Delegate as Luca di Montezemolo in the 2007 Ferrari FI Boardroom Committee

Carter Loughren - First Place Best Delegate as Ryan Cohen in the Gamestop vs wall Street Committee

Molly Morrissey - First Place Best Delegate as Mark Zuckerberg in the Social Network Committee

Drew Ogrodowski - Second Place Outstanding Delegate as Junior Clairvoy in the Ad Hoc Committee

Murphy Hawk - Third Place Honorable Delegate as Franz Joseph in the Road to Dual Monarchy Committee

Congratulations to the entire team on a great conference.  The 6 awards bring the team total to 35 for the year.  The team will next be in action at the University of Pittsburgh Asia Challenge on February 25. 

Over the course of the week of March 24-April 2, five seniors (Renton Biondich, Chiara Brun,  Carter Loughren, Molly Morrissey, and Drew Ogrodowski) of the Riverview Model UN Team travelled to Rome, Italy for the 18^th annual Rome International Model United Nations Conference.  The event brought together students from 13 different countries (Turkey, Georgia, India, and 8 European nations) for a spirited debate and discussion about current world political concerns and possible solutions to current world problems.  The students traveled to Florence, Pompeii, and many of the sites in Rome but most importantly interacted with like-minded students looking to make a difference for the future.  At the conference, the students learned a new Model UN procedure and became leaders in their committee rooms.  The team had 4 students recognized at the awards assembly for their work over the 5 day conference.

Carter Loughren - First place Best Delegate as Algeria in General Assembly 1: Disarmament and International Security Committee

Renton Biondich - Second Place Delegate as Algeria in General Assembly 6: Legal Committee

Chiara Brun - Second Place Delegate as Algeria in United Nations Security Council

Molly Morrissey - Third Place Delegate as Algeria in the Human Rights Council

Congratulations to the team for its success at RIMUN and over the course of the last 4 years.  They have been an integral part of our Model UN team and should be thanked for their leadership and dedication to our team.  

On Tuesday, October 28, the Riverview Model UN team started its 2025 - 2026 season by attending the 28^th University of Pittsburgh Model United Nations Conference.  This conference is one of the few where most of the team can attend, with 25 Riverview students participating.  The students took the opportunity to showcase their full-team, team-first approach as Riverview was awarded for all three of its country delegations  meaning that all 25 students had a role in winning one of those delegation awards. 

Rocco Brown - First Place Best Delegate in the South Chian Sea Committee

Aliyah Lookabaugh - First Place Best Delegate in the War of the Roses York Committee

Molly O'Donnell and Sienna Daley - First Place Best Delegation in the World Health Organization

Hannah Hudack - Third Place Honorable Delegate in the Argentinian Cabinet 

Ryland Ogrodowski and Sophie Yahnke - Third Place Honorable Delegation in General Assembly 6: Legal Committee

Rosa Lascola and Siddaly Sykes - Third Place Honorable Delegation in General Assembly 1: Disarmament and International Security Committee

Aliyah Lookabaugh - Third Place Honorable Position Paper in the War of the Roses Committee

First Place Best Large Delegation (Türkiye) - Rocco Brown, Cole Brunn, Vincent DelRosso, Murphy Hawk, Dimitri Hong, Grace Johnson, Natalie Kingera, Sophia Leasure, Braden Longstreth

Second Place Outstanding Large Delegation (Tajikistan) - Juliette Brun, Emily Chen, Alessandra Costa, Sienna Daley, Tatum Grimes, Kirsten Levarse, John Moses, Molly O'Donnell

Second Place Outstanding Small Delegation (Iceland) - Ella Hood, Aicha Jaafar, Rosa Lascola, Ryland Ogrodowski, Siddaly Sykes, Sophie Yahnke

On Wednesday, November 19, 16 members of the Riverview Model United Nations Team participated in the 21^st annual University of Pittsburgh Model European Union.  The conference, which is the longest running European Union in the region hosted 215 students from 16 schools to discuss the issues concerning the European Union, mainly how to foster competitiveness throughout the EU and advancing European defensive capabilities.  Throughout the day, the team sponsored many papers, presented numerous ideas, and spoke regularly earning the team three awards for the day.   It was a great day for all participants.  The students placing at the conference were:

Kirsten Levarse - First Place Best Delegate as Italy

Sophie Yahnke - First Place Best Delegate as Romania

Grace Johnson and Ella Hood - Third Place Honorable Delegate as Italy

Congratulations.  Members of he team will also be in action the weekend of Nov 20-23 at the annual Princeton University Model United Nations Conference.

The Riverview Model UN Team finished its fall season this weekend winning 3 awards at the Great Lakes Invitational Conference.  The Great Lakes Invitational Conference, held in Kalamazoo, Michigan, is one of only a few conferences in the states that run the THIMUN style of Model UN.  This style encourages students to participate in a strongly organized and parliamentary structured debate that focuses on collaboration and negotiation, ending with the delegates working together in a plenary structure to approve resolutions.  The seven members of the team attending this conference were seniors Emily Chen, Vincent DelRosso, Murphy Hawk, Grace Johnson, Rosa Lascola, Braden Longstreth and junior Dimitri Hong.  The team was deeply involved in the creation of resolutions in all committees, being the focus of debate in their respective committee rooms throughout the weekend.  As a result, the group won two individual awards and a plenary delegation award.  

Murphy Hawk - Second Place Outstanding Delegate as Türkiye in the World Heath Organization

Dimitri Hong - Second Place Outstanding Delegate as Türkiye in General Assembly 6 - Legal Committee

Emily Chen, Dimitri Hong, and Braden Longstreth - Best Delegation Award in the General Assembly

The team will now break until January having earned 25 awards during the first half of the season.

The weekend of January 30-February 1 saw eight members of the Riverview Model UN team travel to Canada to compete in the19^th annual University of Toronto Model United Nations Conference.  The team, consisting of seniors Vincent DelRosso, Murphy Hawk, Grace Johnson, Rosa Lascola, Braden Longstreth, and Molly O'Donnell and juniors Juliette Brun and Dimitri Hong, braved the coldest weather Toronto has had in years as well as competition from over 1300 students from at least four different countries to earn recognition for their performances throughout the weekend.  Whether it was trying to save the Canadian maple syrup industry or the galaxy, earn independence for Venezuela, solve the issue of illegal diamond mining, or limit the use of AI in the film industry, our delegates proposed strong solutions to alter the course of debate.  The end of the conference saw the team win three individual awards.

Juliette Brun - First Place Best Delegate in the Post-Battle of Endor Imperial Council

Braden Longstreth - Third Place Honorable Delegate in the Critics Association for Film and Entertainment Committee

Grace Johnson - Best Position Paper in the Maple Syrup, Money, and Markets Committee

Congratulations.  These awards bring the team total to 34 for the year as the team heads to East Lansing, Michigan on the weekend of Feb 19 -21 for the Spring Invitational Model United Nations Conference.

Over the course of the week of March 16-25, six seniors (Rocco Brown, Murphy Hawk, Aicha Jaafar, Grace Johnson, Braden Longstreth, Siddaly Sykes) of the Riverview Model UN Team travelled to Rome, Italy for the 19^th annual Rome International Model United Nations Conference.  The event brought together students from 9 different countries (Turkey, Mexico, and 6 European nations) for a spirited debate and discussion about current world political concerns and possible solutions to current world problems.  The students traveled to Florence, Pompeii, and many of the sites in Rome and even had a chance to meet up with a 2019 Riverview Alum (Megan Dell) during our trip.   Most importantly, the team interacted with like-minded students looking to make a difference for the future.  At the conference, the students learned a new Model UN procedure and became leaders in their committee rooms.  The team had 4 students recognized at the awards assembly for their work over the 5 day conference.

Rocco Brown - Second Place Delegate as the Russian Federation in United Nations Security Council

Braden Longstreth - Second Place Delegate as South Sudan in General Assembly 5: Administrative and Budgetary Committee

Grace Johnson - Third Place Delegate as South Sudan in the Human Rights Council

Siddaly Sykes - Third Place Delegate as the Russian Federation in the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

Congratulations to the team for its success at RIMUN again this year.  The Riverview Model UN team will participate at the Westminster College Model UN Conference in April to finish its 2025-2026 season.