Sixth-graders from the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S.T.E.M.) Academy partnered with eighth-graders at Nimitz Middle School to form a Model United Nations (MUN) club. The club will address student concerns on complex global issues. On Saturday, April 12, 2008, the students competed in their first competition at Roosevelt High School's annual Middle School Model United nations simulation.

"Our students came away with a wonderful experience from this," said Mary Stewart, sixth grade S.T.E.M. teacher and club sponsor. "I think after this experience they are now hooked—they have the political bug."

The team came away celebrating not only their success in completing their first competition, but also success in public-speaking. Sixth-grader Javier Maldonado received the award of "Distinguished Delegate" for his role as the delegate of Pakistan in the World Health Organization.

"They all kept coming out of their committee sessions excited to report on how well their delegation was performing," said Stewart. "At the end of the day, they had all stated they couldn't wait for the next chance to debate and discuss global problems." The students served as delegates of Brazil and Pakistan, covering a wide-range of topics including terrorism, free trade and the environment, climate change, human rights and torture, and China's position on Tibet's government in exile and their request for autonomy and independence.