Project-based learning operates on a global scale at the International School of the Americas (ISA). Every freshman and sophomore at North East ISD’s magnet high school learns to think, act and plan on a universal level through Model United Nations San Antonio (MUNSA). Senior Elias Hansen says Model UN is exactly the type of hands-on, collaborative learning environment that draws many students to ISA.
“The expectation is that what we’re learning is something bigger than just local,” said Hansen. “It’s focused on global actions and global understanding so I think that global perspective definitely drew me to this school.”
MUNSA isn’t an ordinary Model UN competition. It’s planned, organized and executed entirely by a dedicated team of ISA students and their sponsors, Luke Freeman and Andrea Puentes. Juniors and seniors are encouraged to take on leadership and development roles at the conference while a Secretariat team made up of 12 seniors is tasked with planning the largest student-run Model UN conference in the Western Hemisphere.
Each Secretariat member adopts their own role, from designing the curriculum, to promoting the event, maintaining the MUNSA app and website and more. It also exposes them to real-world issues and empowers them to turn their thoughts and ideas into resolutions.
“I feel like it gives high school students the opportunity to learn about the issues that are going on in this world,” said Alison Fowler, ISA senior. “More than that, we learn how to create resolutions for those problems and that’s really important. It provides us with routes to action and resolutions.”
Innovative project-based learning opportunities like MUNSA is just a small part of what makes ISA a special place to learn. Each student has the opportunity to grow from a local learner to a global citizen with the tools to connect and collaborate with people from all walks of life.
“I think it’s fair to say that this program has made a profound impact on what I’m going to study,” said Hansen. “I came in knowing that I liked public speaking and I kind of like politics and now I know I’ve decided I’m going to be a social policy analysis major and a minor in politics, philosophy and law at Rice, which is right up MUNSA’s alley.”
Model United Nations San Antonio begins on Thursday, Jan 9. Click here to learn more about the program.
