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
LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY GENERAL
Delegates and Advisors,
45 committees.
Over 1000 delegates from the Greater Midwest and as far as Florida.
Located in a historic campus founded in 1869, minutes away from the Lakefront and Downtown Chicago.
A 23 year tradition.
It may seem as though a multi-day conference hosted by a prestigious university is described above, but, in fact, it is none other than the SIMUN XXIII Conference, the largest one-day highschool Model UN conference in the country.
As Secretary General for SIMUN XXIII, I am so incredibly excited to welcome you to SIMUN. This conference will be one to remember as it will include engaging committees debating topics from counterterrorism to Candy Apple-Abby Lee relations. Hosted by committed chairs, there will be engaging crisis updates, especially in crisis/hybrid committees. SIMUN XXIII will be an amazing opportunity for all, regardless of experience level.
Being a part of SIMUN since freshman year, and now being a leader of it, I have been honored to have the opportunity to be a part of such a united, caring team made up of people I call my family. At SIMUN, we prioritize the team over the individual. Therefore, in preparation for the conference we will be working as a team to make this conference the best yet; SIMUN XXIII is our opportunity to share our SIMUN spirit with you. We are so excited to welcome you to SIMUN XXIII on November 2nd, 2024. Please never hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
Thank you,
Secretary General Sasha Eckler
About the Secretariat
Secretary General Sasha Eckler
Sasha Eckler is a senior at Saint Ignatius College Prep and has been a part of SIMUN since she first heard about the team in Ms. Haleas’ Honors World History class her freshman year. Ever since she joined SIMUN, she has been inspired by the emphasis the team puts on unity and dedication to delegation victories as opposed to individual awards and hopes to continue promoting this value as Secretary General. As an underclassman, through experiences such as the FIMUN Conference hosted by Florida International University, Sasha had the opportunity to witness the impact that leadership can have on building confidence within younger delegates. The feeling she got when she won best delegate at FIMUN, largely as a result of the mentorship of older SIMUN members, is one that she has a goal of replicating within younger SIMUN delegates this year as a leader of the team.
In addition to SIMUN, Sasha has also been a figure skater for as long as she can remember. She is a US Figure Skating Gold Medalist in Moves in the Field, which is comparable to being a black belt in martial arts. On top of skating, Sasha also is passionate about becoming an orthodontist in the future: she will be an orthodontic intern this summer! She speaks Russian and English, is learning Spanish, and hopes to take up French in college.
That said, Sasha is so impressed with all of the hard work of SIMUN’s 40+ chairs so far and is excited to see what is in store for all of the committees. She is looking forward to seeing everyone at SIMUN XXIII!
Director General Hannah Kopec
Hannah Kopec is a four-year senior member of the SIMUN team. She first took interest in Model UN when she took a “Current Events and Communications” class held by Ms. Haleas during the COVID summer of 2020. Hannah absolutely loves the SIMUN team, from their team midnight masses on away trips, to the dedication and support that every member of this team shows to the club. From her first local conference her freshman year to competing at the national and international levels, Hannah Kopec adores this team and family with all her heart and is so excited to help bring you SIMUN XXIII!
Outside of MUN, Hannah played volleyball for several years and got to play in tournaments across the country. She helps work in our Formation and Ministry Department, planning Ignatian Value Days, leading retreats, and serving at mass. Hannah is also a part of our Ignatian Environmental Alliance, something she is very passionate about.
Hannah Kopec is so excited to see SIMUN XXIII come to fruition through our 40+ committees, great topics, and extensive crisis. SIMUN has been such a big part of her life and she is ecstatic to be able to work on this conference. She is so thrilled to see everyone here on November 2nd!
Director General Lukas Beltz
Lukas Beltz is a senior at Saint Ignatius College Prep, who has been actively involved in the SIMUN team for four years. Since his initial SIMUN meeting in 2021, one motto that has always stuck with him is “MUN is fun,” which is also his outlook for running SIMUNs 23rd annual conference. Throughout four years, Lukas has participated in over 20 Model UN conferences, with 9 of them being opportunities to travel both nationally and internationally, competing as far as Japan, close as downtown Chicago, and as prestigiously as NAIMUN in DC. Throughout countless midnight masses, clapping on the plane rides when our team lands, and general SIMUN extracurriculars, Lukas has enjoyed every moment of it.
Outside being a member of the SIMUN team, Lukas in an active member in Saint Ignatius Formation and Ministry, as well as Saint Ignatius Business and Economics Club. Among these clubs, Lukas’ activities revolve around improving the world and doing common good for humanity, which he hopes to share with all members of the SIMUN team, as well as all delegates at SIMUN XXIII
Director General Sasha Rayne
Sasha Rayne is a senior at Saint Ignatius College Prep and has been involved with SIMUN since her sophomore year. She was influenced to join by her grandfather, who is a former UN diplomat for Ukraine. Ever since becoming part of the team, Sasha has loved working in fast-paced environments, coming up with creative and innovative ways to solve the world’s biggest issues, and meeting and growing close with new members of SIMUN’s ever growing team. Sasha also is in charge of social media for our team (go follow @simunsicp on instagram) and is so grateful to be a part of such an inclusive community that has taught her so much.
In addition to SIMUN, Sasha is a member of Wolfpack Orchesis and a competitive dance team outside of school. She also currently works at an elementary school’s after school program everyday during the school year, where she gets to engage with Kindergarten through 3rd grade students. In fact, Sasha is currently working on starting a Model United Nations team at this school in the hopes of nurturing a further appreciation for diplomacy and public speaking! In the future, Sasha’s dream jobs would be either working as a journalist and living in New York City, or being a lawyer for the International Criminal Court.
Sasha is so proud of all of the hard work that had gone on behind the scenes to make SIMUN XIII the best conference the team is out on yet and cannot wait to see all the delegates excel in our committees!!