MSMS is reintroducing high school students to the complexities of international diplomacy through the revived Mississippi Model Security Council, where members engage in debates addressing pressing global issues. The club is led by President Allie Hamric and sponsored by history teacher Julie Heintz.
Two students represent each delegation, collaborating to draft and defend resolutions before a council. The club hosts meetings and mock sessions to prepare delegates for the rigorous debates.
“You can learn a lot from how people write their resolutions, the vocabulary [they] use, their posture, confidence and how they [approach the debate], even if they’re a single delegation,” junior Srujan Chinnapureddy said.
MMSC meetings follow Robert’s Rules of Order, a guide to parliamentary procedure, as well as the Charter of the United Nations. Members must learn proper debate techniques and terminology to accurately simulate U.N. proceedings.
“It’s important as it allows students to explore issues outside the U.S. and understand diverse cultures, political systems and global challenges,” junior Ryan Wei said.
Wei said he hopes to deepen his knowledge of international politics and conflicts while improving his public speaking, adding the council could inspire interest in international relations and provide opportunities to see the world from different perspectives.
“MMSC makes you a lot more informed,” Hamric said. “The world is changing, so having to research and take on the role of a world leader is really good. It makes you not just hear about things on the news, but take it upon yourself to interact with these types of issues.”
The 46th annual MMSC conference, a two-day event, is scheduled for March 26-27 at Mississippi State University.
“I’m hoping we learn how to effectively communicate, even when we don’t agree,” Hamric said. “It’ll be good to [practice debating], become more informed, and [develop] an interest in politics and world issues that span outside of what we normally talk about.”
