The Model United Nations team started an initiative with the University of Chicago Charter School Woodlawn to help that school’s team become more competitive.

Though the charter school already had a team of over 15 students, Director General Sara Thomas said the team did not participate in conferences or have a formal practice schedule.

Sara said the Woodlawn MUN members have been working with Lab since Oct. 10 for an hour after school.

“They have really good baseline speaking skills,” Sara said, “so I just want to refine them so that they are more confident in giving improv speeches, which is really important in Model UN. And then also give them better research strategies so they can have more content.”

Secretary General Ananya Asthana had the idea for the initiative two years ago, but it did not become a reality until May 2019 when she, Caledonia Abbey and Sara met with a representative of the Woodlawn charter school.

The U-High Model UN team has set goals for the Woodlawn team to succeed.

“We’re going to eventually start to prepare them for the UChicago Model United Nations conference in February,” Sara said. “My goal is just to set them up in the best way possible for them to win at a conference.”