• A Professional Development session featuring three local professionals speaking on our overarching topic of Poverty,
• A training held by Robyn, one of our fantastic interns (featured below), for college student who wished to learn more about running a Model UN conference, 
• Three state Model UN conferences - middle school, high school, and Spanish language,
• Two successful school conferences at Capitol Hill Magnet School and Washington Tech Magnet School in St. Paul, 
• Over 50 classroom training sessions at eight different schools in the metro area!

Intern Robyn in full Model UN regalia at the dais training

Our staff was also in attendance at the United Nations Association of Minnesota's Annual Meeting in January, where the Global Classrooms Norma Rowe Teaching Award was given to Martha Johnson of Highland Park Middle School in St.

Martha Johnson (L) and UNA-MN co-chair Randi Markusen at the UNA-MN Annual Meeting

Paul. Congratulations Martha and we thank her for all of her hard work with our program! 

Below, you can find out more on our Professional Development session, our state conferences, and meet two of our graduating interns who have been invaluable to us during their time with our program. Read on to learn more, and if you are interested in working with us in the next year, be sure to look at our internship descriptions on the sidebar! As always, feel free to contact us for information or questions.  

• High School State Conference, April 9th, Hamline University, with 244 participants from ten schools,
• Middle School State Conference, May 1st, University of St. Thomas, with 371 participants from six schools, and
• Spanish language State Conference, May 10th, University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management, with 188 participants from four schools.

Spanish Language State Conference at the University of Minnesota, May

conferences: Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, University of Minnesota Humphrey fellow Cheryl Daytec, and University of Minnesota professor Luis Ramos-Garcia.

Global Classrooms interns serve as in-class trainers for our curriculum, and are a valuable resource to teachers and students. Please contact us if you are interested in requesting a

Robyn (L) and Anja

trainer (free of charge) for your class or Model UN club.

Robyn and Anja
are returning interns to Global Classrooms this year, and their experience and knowledge of the program has been invaluable. Robyn is a senior at Hamline University, and Anja a senior at Macalester College.

Anja: To me, the Global Classrooms program really epitomizes what it means to be a global citizen. It's bringing the global to the local. I really believe that teaching young students about the importance of globalization, communication, development and peace can have a great impact on how the next generation deals with issues of global importance. 

What do you like the most about the Model UN?   

Robyn: My favorite thing about Model UN has to be the way it encourages you to think critically and creatively about international issues, but also requires you to compromise. Taking on a position that isn't necessarily your own, while trying to find common ground with others (who may well represent your own position) really causes you to change your perspective. Model UN, much like the United Nations itself, is all about collaboration to reach a common goal. 

Anja: I love that students come together in a space of academic rigor, as equal individuals who are passionate about solving the world's problems. To me, a Model UN conference is like a 3-day think tank for international policy proposals. I only wish that the UN would read some of the resolutions students come up with at these conferences, because they are innovative and provide depth to current issues being debated in the General Assembly.    

What has been your best experience as a GC intern?   

Robyn: Global Classrooms really has the ability to empower kids to take charge of their own learning. My best experience as an intern was watching a young man develop his own curiosity about the world; he went from being one of the more disruptive and disengaged students in the classroom to an award-winner at the Global Classrooms conference at his school. It is moments like this when I realize how much I love working with Global Classrooms.

Anja: Chairing the Security Council Committee discussing the famine in the Horn of Africa last spring was my most fulfilling experience with Global Classrooms. The students were full of creative solutions that had merit for implementation. These students are not bogged down by international politics, and really collaborate to come up with amazing
resolutions. It's inspirational for me to listen to their ideas about the field that I eventually want to work in.  

If you could choose one place to live, where would that be?

Robyn: If I could live and work anywhere in the world, I think I would choose the Swiss countryside. First, it's absolutely beautiful and has great chocolate. More important to me, though, is the strong education system and educational philosophy of the Swiss--encouraging every child to reach their potential, whatever it may be. 

What is your dream job?   

 Anja: I don't really have a dream job because I'm still trying to figure my life out, but basically I would love to have a meaningful job where I could contribute to social justice here or somewhere in the world!

Robyn: That's always a tough one! My dream job is teaching: I would do it anywhere, teach anyone, and teach anything. It's amazing how much you can learn about yourself, the world, and others by working with children. They are the future and its as important as ever to teach them how to be citizens in tomorrow's world.