FUHS students shine at Rotary's Model United Nations

FALLBROOK – The Rotary Club of Fallbrook sponsored four Fallbrook High School students' participation in this year's Model United Nations program. The program is a partnership between the Rotary District 5340 Pathways to Peace Committee and students from San Diego County and Baja California. As Model United Nations delegates, students engage in major world issues and learn how to peacefully resolve conflicts and reach consensus. The students develop their leadership skills and apply their knowledge of history, geography and science to practical real-world situations. Their experience is similar to the situations encountered by actual delegates to the United Nations.

As United Nations delegates, sophomores Ashley Ortega and Lucia Mochel represented Australia and sophomores Ramiro Castillo and Ethan Baur represented Iran. Ortega and Castillo spoke on a resolution addressing global food insecurity and its disproportionate impact on women. Mochel and Baur spoke on a resolution focused on promoting peaceful, sustainable space exploration and preventing an arms race in space. The students were supported by Fallbrook High School teacher Amy Malone and District Superintendent Ilsa Garza-Gonzalez.

The students' presentations were well received, and they were awarded the following recognitions: Lucia Mochel for Excellence in Persuasive Speech, Ashley Ortega for Nonprofit Champion, Ethan Baur for Future Political Science Professor and Ramiro Castillo for Most Likely to Win an Elon Musk Award.

Each year, the Rotary Club of Fallbrook sponsors student delegates to the Model United Nations in addition to supporting Student of the Month programs and providing scholarships to graduating seniors. The club meets Thursdays at noon. For information about the Rotary Club of Fallbrook, visit http://www.fallbrookrotary.org.

Submitted by Rotary Club of Fallbrook.