The Model United Nations team closed out its season at RICEMUN with a dominant performance, earning Best Large Delegation for the third consecutive year and bringing home awards for 75 percent of its delegates.
Competing at Rice University in what serves as the program’s capstone conference, the team faced new procedural formats, crisis simulations and strong competition from across the state, but once again emerged as one of the top programs in the room.
AP Human Geography and AP World History teacher Todd Carpenter said the results reflect the consistency of the program’s preparation.
“Seventy-five percent of our delegates took home awards, and overall, our team won Best Large Delegation for the third year in a row,” Carpenter said. “To win to the tune of 75 percent of our delegates earning awards is outstanding.”
While the team has grown accustomed to success, Carpenter said the scale of the sweep still stood out.
“The exception to the rule is when we don’t win,” Carpenter said. “I was excited to see the level of domination that occurred.”
Unlike other conferences earlier in the season, RICEMUN introduced procedural differences that forced students to adapt in real time.
“Rice is harder in that it keeps them constantly thinking on their feet,” English teacher Kylie Pickett said. “They have completely different procedures, so our kids are often put on the spot where they have to improvise their skill set.”
In preparation for the capstone event, sponsors added an extra layer of training.
“They did a mock conference the week before we left,” Pickett said. “It was really successful, and we performed very well. I do think we’ll continue to implement that into our model.”
Beyond awards, both sponsors emphasized growth and leadership within the delegation. Carpenter described the organization as one focused on constant refinement.
“We are a growth-oriented organization,” Carpenter said. “Every single competition we do, we reevaluate each other, and then we implement changes. Nobody needs to learn from scratch anymore, it’s a refinement of skills they already have.”
Pickett also noted that students stepped into leadership roles, organizing workshops and helping peers prepare for crisis committees, further strengthening the program’s internal structure.
As the awards were announced, the culmination of the season became clear.
“The most memorable moment is watching the looks on the individuals’ faces as we take home award after award,” Carpenter said.
For Pickett, the pride extended beyond trophies.
“I’m so proud of them, but to [I want them] remember that it’s not really about awards,” Pickett said. “It’s about the skills that you learn and the friends you make along the way.”
With three years of rapid growth behind them, the team now looks toward expanding its impact, potentially hosting its own conference in the future. For now, RICEMUN marks not just the end of a season, but the continued rise of a program that has quickly established itself as one of the strongest in the state.
