King School Students Shine at Brown University Model UN

King School’s Model UN team made an impressive showing at the 2025 Brown University Simulation of the United Nations (BUSUN), where upper school delegates tackled global issues alongside high school students from across the country.

Several students earned recognition for their work: Max Marti received a Diplomatic Commendation, Izzy Ryan and Lilah Mehta earned Honorable Mention, Justina Marque earned an Outstanding Delegate award, and Nick Marti took home Best Delegate. Their accomplishments reflect individual skill and dedication and the spirit of the entire King delegation.

Marque, a junior, served on the ECLAC committee, addressing economic and social issues in Latin America and the Caribbean. Her committee focused on protecting food security systems in the face of climate-driven disasters.

“This topic was particularly interesting because to successfully find a solution for this problem, I had to combine knowledge from across various disciplines such as environmental science, global studies, political science, and bioethics,” Marque said.

Debates ranged from the ethics of solar geoengineering to the impact of drug cartels and corruption on access to aid.

“It was a collaborative effort that would not have been successful without the wide range of subjects I study here at King or the equal preparation of my fellow delegates,” she said. “It was extremely rewarding seeing the effectiveness of not only having my ideas heard, but also seeing them expand with other people's perspectives.”

Marque earned diplomatic recognition as a Grade 9 student at last year’s Harvard Model UN. Though intimidated when heading to Harvard, she built on the experience this year.

“After attending a couple more conferences, I realized the privilege it is to be in a room full of such passionate people who have an equal desire to make the world a better place,” she noted. “I began to view Model UN not as a competition, but rather a collaborative environment full of opportunities to learn more from distinguished students and the equal value their perspectives have with my own. From then on, my confidence to assert myself in crowded rooms increased, as I realized staying in my comfort zone only prevented me from learning.”

Marti, also a junior, represented Oman in the ECOSOC committee at BUSUN, where delegates tackled the global challenge of providing access to clean drinking water. He helped navigate tensions when the committee split into two blocs with competing resolutions, advocating for both to pass successfully.

During the conference, the committee split into two blocs, each pushing its own resolution. Tensions rose as the blocs debated which resolution was better.

“Realizing we were not making any progress, I spoke up to try and resolve the tension,” Marti said. “I argued that both resolutions, despite their differences, were vital towards helping those in need, and it would be better to try and pass both instead of picking only one or the other. After some more debate, both resolutions ended up passing successfully.”

This year’s conference highlighted the continued excellence of King’s Model UN program, supported in part by the King School Annual Fund, which helps provide resources for students, faculty, and programs across campus. Students earned accolades and expanded their skills in diplomacy and negotiation.

“All of our delegates worked incredibly hard over the past three days,” said English teacher Lindsay Stone, who, along with history teacher Lindsey Rossler, served as the team’s advisors. “They balanced intensive committee sessions with very little free time, and their engagement and thoughtfulness in addressing complex global issues were remarkable.”

Contributions to the Annual Fund directly support opportunities like Model UN, ensuring that King students continue to engage deeply with global issues and develop the skills and confidence to make an impact.