By Mickey Reyes

At the beginning of this semester, Dr. A and her fellow students, Mickey, Anna, Emma, Amy, Cait, Mimi, Gabby, Ally, Tahreem, and Briana began diligently working on creating resolutions that would be presented at the Model OAS conference that was held in Washington D.C. over spring break. A little background information about the Model OAS is that each school represents a different country within the Western Hampshire there are 5 committees that each student must pick from each school needs about 5-10 students within the class for the school to participate. All the schools stay in one hotel and use the conference rooms that the hotel has.

A lot of dedication was put into researching information on El Salvador and its problems as well as the other OAS member states. Throughout the semester, they presented the PDRs that they created and received feedback to improve and ensure they were prepared for questions they may be presented in the model. While the students were researching information on fellow OAS member states that were attending the Model, they were interested in making alliances and friends with those so they could make a deal to vote for each other’s PDR and even make speeches in favor of one another.

On the first day of the Model, all the students gathered in one room and heard about what was going to happen throughout the week and then were split up into their committee rooms. Within those rooms, the students sat in their designated seats that had a placard with the name of the country they were going to represent. Each room also had a raptor who read all the resolves that were in a PDR, Chair, and Vice Chair that were in control of the section. During the first day, all students had 1 hour within their committee rooms to try and get five co-signatures on their PDRs to turn into the chair, make alliances, and speeches. After everything was done for the day students were dismissed, Dr. A kindly took the NDMU OAS team to an El Salvadoran restaurant located down the street where she treated us to the first night of dinner.

On the second and third days, countries began to present their PDRs and answer any questions that were asked after fellow member states made a speech for or against each country’s PDR, had the chance to add an amendment to the PDR if need, and either voted for, against or abstain of the PDR to be passed. On the fourth day of the Model students who had a Washington packet presented their PDR as well and member states were able to vote for, against, or abstained from the PDR.  On the fifth and last day of the final, there was an award ceremony and accountants for next year’s President, Vice President, Raptors, Chairs, and Vice Chairs. Representing NDMU next year as the President of the Model is Amy Seck who is currently a junior and who has completed her 3^rd year of presenting in the Model OAS.

Along with all the debating and conferencing in the committee rooms, you can explore D.C. with your friends, make new friends, eat at different and interesting restaurants, and create fun memories that you will hold with you until the end of time. So, if you are interested, make sure you sign up for Model OAS next spring of 2024 with Dr. A!