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Student Leaders for Model UN Conference • More Santa Cruz County
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Student Leaders for Model UN Conference
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Four Mount Madonna School high school students have been appointed to the Model United Nations conference executive team for a regional conference to be hosted by Mount Madonna School on Feb. 11, 2023.
Sophomores Ezze Farrazaino, Lagi Hunnicutt, Lucy Harris and Nash Wilson were selected to oversee the creation, promotion and execution of a Model UN conference for grade 6-12 students.
“I enjoy participating in Model UN,” said Farrazaino. “It’s a fun and challenging experience during which I learn so much about both myself and the world. As the secretary general, I have a chance to share that experience with others and help them to have an amazing time. I will be overseeing the student leadership team and making sure the conference as a whole run smoothly.”
Hunnicutt, who will organize and plan the opening, plenary and closing ceremonies, said, “I find great value in mine and my peers’ involvement in MUN. I believe the only way that the world can begin to understand each other is through communication and meaningful conversations. If we cannot even do that, then we as a society will be run into the ground. This is the whole mission of MUN — to find and come to a consensus with each other.”
These students are participating in a Model UN conference Nov. 11-13 hosted by Stanford University.
Harris, who is involved for the first time, said, “I chose to be involved so that I could learn more about how one of the world’s most important organizations works. For the Stanford MUN, I am researching how France’s interests were affected by the Iraq-Iran war.”
“The committee that I’ll be in at the Stanford conference is the Cabinet of Alexis Tsipras,” said Hunnicutt. “The issue we will be covering is the economic crisis in Greece that has been going on for many years and skyrocketed during the global financial crisis during 2009.”
Wilson joined Model UN this year on the advice of peers to try something new and learning-filled.
“For the Stanford MUN, I am part of the United Nations Human Refugee Committee, and we are currently dealing with a large number of Ukrainian refugees,” said Wilson, “The country I represent is Iran, and Iran is warm and welcoming to refugees. I wouldn’t have known this if I hadn’t been researching this issue.”
Middle school students Amelie Thams, Nolan McKibbin, Rebecca Piccardo and River Brinton are also on the conference team. “In addition to the hard work needed to launch a successful conference, this is also an opportunity to develop superb leadership skills, ones that should rightly be highlighted on job applications, internship opportunities and college applications,” said Lisa Martin, director of lower school. “Most importantly, you have the opportunity to leave your mark on the culture of our school and on global education throughout the region.”
She is one of three Model UN directors, along with teachers Chrislaine Miller and Greg Shirley. Model UN involves close to half a million middle, high school and university students. In a Model UN simulation, students assume the role of a diplomat I enjoy participating of a foreign country and look at an issue in Model UN. It’s a or problem through the lens of their fun and challenging “adopted” country. Students then work together to forge consensus around a resoexperience during lution that addresses the issue. It is highly which I learn so much academic and inherently social. about both myself and To successfully participate, delegates the world. must know their issue well, understand multiple perspectives, argue their point — Ezze Farrazaino of view and be open to compromise. They research, write policy briefs and resolutions, actively listen, negotiate and advocate. Mount Madonna School’s Model UN program focuses on ways in which global issues play out in our region, for example water scarcity and climate change impacts on agriculture and tourism. n
More Santa Cruz County Fair Staff Resign
John Skinner, a member of the Santa
Cruz County Fair Floriculture Committee, reports that in wake of the critical state audit that led to firing CEO Dave Kegebein after 11 years:
Cynthia Mazzei, Kegebein’s righthand staffer at the fairgrounds, has resigned effective Nov. 16.
Ann Ernst, longtime bookkeeper, has given her notice.
Interim CEO Don Dietrich already needs to recruit a new volunteer as secretary to take minutes at board meetings as Mary Bannister resigned.
Skinner, who is communicating with 60 supporters via email, wrote, “We are working to determine what precipitated this action by the State. Once we understand the instigators and their motivations, we will create a plan to restore control of our fairgrounds to Santa Cruz County. This will not happen overnight.”
The audit found that the Santa Cruz County fair had no receipts or supervisory review for $163,442 of purchases from 2017 to 2021, spending $5,905 for unallowable food, improperly requiring the Speedway to donate $7,500 to the Fairgrounds Foundation, eight contracts over $5,000 not bid as required, and travel expenses of $1,352 with no receipts. The fairgrounds is state-owned property, with a nine-member board appointed by Gov. Newsom. Nicolas Calubaquib, 42, of Aptos, Watsonville’s parks director, and Rachel E. Bickert Wells, 29, of Felton, who was on the staff of Sen. Bill Monning from 2015 to 2020, have been appointed to replace Loretta Estrada
The audit found that the Santa Cruz County fair had no receipts or supervisory review for $163,442 of purchases from 2017 to 2021, spending $5,905 for unallowable food, improperly requiring the Speedway to donate $7,500 to the Fairgrounds Foundation, eight contracts over $5,000 not bid as required, and travel expenses of $1,352 with no receipts.
and Jody Belgard, who voted against firing Kegebein, and lost their fair board seats shortly after.
Bill Barton of Aptos resigned; a replacement has not been announced.
Skinner added, “We are not working to restore Dave to his position. Nor do we have any affiliation with the Fair Foundation or Ag History Project. While we appreciate all that they have done for the fairgrounds, association with us in any way, might be detrimental to their ability to continue to function and support the fairgrounds as they have done so well in the past.”
Skinner recommended those on his email list write to decision-makers in Sacramento: Sen. John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, Assemblyman Mark Stone, D-Scotts Valley, and the nine members of the agriculture committees in the Senate and Assembly. n
