From the South Orange-Maplewood School District:
Violet Gordon, Phoebe Hill and MMS Principal Jerrill Adams
The members of the Model UN Club at Maplewood Middle School recently commemorated UN Human Rights Day on December 10, 2015 with a variety of activities designed to raise awareness in their school and local communities about human rights violations that exist in today’s world.
First among these activities was a project undertaken by club members Violet Gordon and Phoebe Hill. These students wrote to Maplewood Mayor DeLuca, explaining the significance of Human Rights Day and requesting that he issue a proclamation naming December 10, 2015 as Human Rights Day in Maplewood. The Mayor agreed and issued the proclamation, a copy of which is posted below. Special commendations go to Violet and Phoebe for taking the initiative in this project and seeing it through.
Throughout the school day on December 10, club members researched and created signboards which told the background of a human rights violation – child soldiers in Africa, girls in Taliban-controlled countries denied access to education – and other chilling stories. They stood up all day as a symbol of their desire to “stand up for human rights” and explained their research to their classmates.
Model UN advisors Assistant Principal Marc Gold, teacher Meredith Hansen, and Youthnet volunteer Susan Barry are very proud of the dedication, sensitivity and responsibility the Model UN members have demonstrated. They are truly demonstrating the importance of becoming global citizens.
