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Ransom Everglades plays host to a dynamic Model UN conference

Ransom Everglades hosted a dynamic two-day student conference that combined global diplomacy, critical thinking and student leadership at the upper school on September 25-26. The RE Model UN - INTERSECT '26 Conference began with an interdisciplinary policy challenge (where diplomacy meets economics) on the opening night and continued the next day by bringing together student delegates from across South Florida to debate various global issues.
A panel of distinguished guest judges evaluated the pitches and also shared their expertise with attendees during a Q-and-A on the Lewis Auditorium stage:
  • Dr. Katrin Katz: University of Miami faculty member and former Director for Japan, Korea and Oceanic Affairs on the National Security Council.
  • Jorge Ramos: Emmy Award-winning journalist and former anchor of Univision's nightly news.
  • Sebastian Barrack: Head of Commodities at Citadel.
The theme of Policy Challenge was “Global Chains, Sovereign Claims: Supply, Law and Power in the World Economy,” in which student teams, presented with a geopolitical case study, developed and presented a multifaceted policy solution that addressed all three dimensions: political, economic and international relations. 

Isabella de Sabrit '28 was named the overall winner of the policy challenge for her creative proposal to address the Strait of Hormuz bottleneck in a competition that included finalists Dylan Kantesaria '29, Karim Ghandour '29, Sidney Schwartz '29, Marlo Sohn '30, Emma Hall '30 and Sophie Griffin '30.
 
On day two (Saturday), more than 200 middle and high school delegates (a twofold increase from last year's conference) representing Ransom Everglades, Palmer Trinity, Saint Andrews, Belen Jesuit, MAST Academy, Immaculata La Salle and International Studies Preparatory Academy (ISPA) engaged in diplomatic debate to problem-solve and craft solutions through consensus building, culminating in the formulation of resolutions to address the world's most pressing issues of the day. Eight committees, including the General Assembly, Economic and Social Council, Human Rights Council and Security Council, examined issues ranging from semiconductor supply and Arctic sovereignty to human trafficking and disaster response. This year's conference also introduced a dedicated middle school division with three committees. Eighteen student chairs from the various participating schools guided delegates through lobbying, merging and debate.
 
The weekend’s success was spearheaded by REMUN's Secretary-General Clementina Gonzalez Bergoderi '27 and fellow organizer Luca Akin '27 along with faculty sponsors Stephen Allen, Brandon King and Lane Hunt, assisted by Umehani Hassan, to see this vision of student excellence to fruition. Twenty-eight RE middle school students took part under the leadership of Model UN club sponsor Marie Saint Hilaire and co-sponsors Liana Romanach and Marie Bellas. The closing ceremony recognized committee award winners, including Best Chair Thomas Karam-Silva ‘27, as well as Best Delegate awards for Luc Dambournet '28 for the upper school, and Lucas Goldberg-Burkina '33 and Ozzie Sohn '32 in the middle school. 
 
Student conferences like REMUN-INTERSECT highlight to the wider community of South Florida the genuine Honor & Excellence of the Ransom Everglades student body, beyond the classroom, living out the Portrait of an RE Graduate – someone who thinks creatively and critically, communicates articulately and eloquently, and endeavors to put more back into the world than they take. 
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2045 South Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove, FL 33133
Phone: 305 250 6850

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3575 Main Highway, Coconut Grove, FL 33133
Phone: 305 460 8800

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Founded in 1903, Ransom Everglades School is a coeducational, college preparatory day school for grades 6 - 12 located on two campuses in Coconut Grove, Florida. It is rated the top private school in Miami and among the 10 private schools in North America. Ransom Everglades School produces graduates who "believe that they are in the world not so much for what they can get out of it as for what they can put into it." The school provides rigorous college preparation that promotes the student's sense of identity, community, personal integrity and values for a productive and satisfying life, and prepares the student to lead and to contribute to society.


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