Before resolutions are written and blocs are formed, it’s the placards that are already up in the air—raised to ask questions, to challenge ideas, and to debate some of the most important topics in the world. This silent language sets the tone of Model United Nations, transforming classrooms into an international discussion. A simulation of the real United Nations, Model UN allows for research, collaboration, and public speaking to come together as one, with students representing assigned countries on a given topic, and from there? Game on.
Last year, now-junior Rex Parks revived North Atlanta’s Model UN club, bringing it back from what was seemingly the dead. He had participated in the club prior to his arrival at North Atlanta, and wanted to share his love with fellow Warriors. So, Parks stepped up. He organized recruitment sessions, club meetings, and found a new teacher sponsor, ensuring a total rebuild. His hard work and commitment paid off, as the club is now fully functioning and just attended their first conference post-rebuild. “It was something I really enjoyed at my old school.” He said, “It means a lot to me to be able to share it with everyone at North Atlanta.”
The team competed in their first conference of the year mere weeks ago, January 23-24, 2026. The Dubs’ brought eight distinguished delegates with them, representing eight different countries with eight different viewpoints. One of these delegates was sophomore Campbell Massey, who represented Mongolia in the General Council’s debate over social media censorship. After weeks of preparation, Massey was more than excited to show off her hard work. “It was my first conference, so I was definitely nervous going in,” she said, “but it ended up being a lot of fun.”
The now reestablished club is looking towards the future with not only optimism, but ambition. They plan to continue attending conferences this year, and to continue to grow the club, building a stronger presence in the school community. Leadership has laid the foundation, now, it’s time to build it up. Sophomore Javier Rivera represented the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the team’s first conference, and hopes to maintain participation for years to come—and not just for him. “I would love for it to continue to grow.” He said, “It’s exciting to think about where we could go from here.”
As Model UN continues to grow and move forward, it remains an example of what student leadership can accomplish. It allows for Warriors to engage with the world, through diplomacy, collaboration, and debate, prompting its members to learn about the world in a global context—and hopefully have some fun doing so.
