LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR

Our SIMUN team was established in the fall of 1999 when two of my students who had participated in a summer international relations program at Georgetown University asked me if I knew about Model United Nations.  I said no but added that I was eager to find out.  Seven students and I attended our first conference that fall at Stevenson High School and immediately recognized the great opportunities that Model UN offered. We later attended our first travel conference in 2000: the North American Invitational Model UN Conference hosted by Georgetown University in Washington, DC.  

From that point on, our team continued to grow and to participate in more conferences.  25 years later our SIMUN team is recognized as one of the most successful Model UN programs in the country.  With over 150 team members, attending 12+ conferences per year along with hosting the largest one-day high school conference (this year will mark SIMUN XXIII) and participating in international conferences in China, Japan, Russia, and many countries in Europe, our SIMUN team has developed a reputation for diplomatic excellence. 

What makes me even prouder of our team is our commitment to positive diplomacy and service. Our SIMUN delegates work together as a close-knit team to teach one another, support one another, and to help each other grow as men and women for and with others. 

We have had exceptional experiences hosting conferences (PACKMUN and Kipp AlphaMUN) and summer camps for junior high school students. 

I have dedicated my career to SIMUN which has given me so many special experiences with my students.  I have learned so much from them through their dedication, hard work, energy, enthusiasm, and ability to work with others to solve real-world problems (and some fictional ones, too!).  They have enriched my life in countless ways.  They inspire me to be a better teacher, director, and person.  My two favorite parts about our SIMUN team:

1.  Our competitive spirit and determination to give our best effort at every conference.

2.  Most importantly, our close relationships with one another and genuine love and care for each other.

Winning prestigious conferences is awesome but developing meaningful relationships is the most rewarding part of SIMUN. 

Yours in Diplomacy,

Ms. Haleas