Middle School Delegates Make Their Mark

11/19/2025

Proving that practice makes perfect, the delegates on the Middle School Model United Nations team have much to show for their hard work after competing at TUSMUNC VIII (The Ursuline School Model UN Middle School and High School Conference) on November 15.

Faculty advisor Stella Banino praised all sixteen students who competed at the conference. “Model UN requires a great amount of creativity, diplomacy and confidence,” Banino said. “Our students rose to the challenge and made an incredible showing, even though most were competing for the first time.”

Winners in their respective committees included:
Best Delegate (1st place): Preston Porcelli ’32 and Sylvie Knauss ’30
Honorable Mention (3rd place): Theo Williams ’33 and Inanna Cappello ’32
Verbal Commendation (4th place): Isabella Satchivi ’32

For Porcelli, Williams, Cappello and Satchivi, it was a day to put their well-practiced diplomatic skills to good use — and to have fun.

"TUSMUNC was amazing!” Porcelli said. “I love debating, and this was just perfect for me. I made some good friends, so I am 100% doing this again!”

Cappello agreed: “Everybody there was so nice, and my chairs were amazing. If you needed something, the chairs would help you and give you the advice to help you be your best self in Model UN. All the people there were so helpful and open to your ideas.”

Clio Foley ’26, Talia Hird ’27 and Ginger Yancovich ’26 serve as the team’s coaches. The three upper school MUN students have been working with the middle school students every week to prepare them for TUSMUNC committees that covered topics from Star Wars to the WNBA to Monsters, Inc.

“We've been reviewing the basics of MUN — essential terminology, public speaking and diplomacy — while also sprinkling in plenty of games and public speaking drills,” said Foley.

The upper school coaches also focused on crisis simulation exercises. Foley explained that this included “writing position papers, doing research on their positions, preparing opening speeches and in general helping one another.”

After a successful afternoon of debate and diplomacy, Banino said she is looking forward to “seeing what this team will be able to achieve during the rest of the season and beyond.”