For the sixth year in a row, the Bordentown Regional High School Model United Nations program has won the Best Small School Delegation at the Rutgers University Model United Nations conference.
Team members include Gabriella Cuccia, Patrick Dziegielewski, Kashika Manak, Julianna Morolda, Riddhi Rajpal, Rudrhaneel Sen, Apollo Touch and Ethan Vedaraj.
Approximately 40 high schools from the tri-state area gathered for this four-day conference where students played the roles of diplomats to tackle the most pressing global issues of the day. All students must be knowledgeable of their particular topic, have persuasive public speaking skills and most importantly collaborate and find common ground with students that have very different goals for their countries.
“They were prepared, spoke well and had a great time building alliances with other students to find workable solutions,” adviser John Tobias said of the team.
Rutgers University Model United Nations is an annual four-day conference hosted by the Institute for Domestic and International Affairs and staffed by Rutgers undergraduate students.
Held in New Brunswick, the conference aims to provide a transformative educational experience to hundreds of students from across the region by providing a platform for high schoolers to represent a member state in the United Nations. They engage in debates about world affairs, negotiate resolutions, and develop solutions to pressing issues.
RUMUN is designed to emphasize the importance of critical thinking, public speaking, and collaboration in international relations and diplomacy, and students get the chance to build those skills. With specialized committees, workshops, and engaging activities, RUMUN aims to educate, empower, and engage the leaders of tomorrow.”

Bordentown High Model United Nations members (front row) (front row) Kashika Manak, Julianna Morolda, Gabriella Cuccia, Riddhi Rajpal and (back row) Ethan Vedaraj, Patrick Dziegielewski, Rudrhaneel Sen and Apollo Touch.,