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Another Successful Southwest Florida Model UN Competition 

Awards totaling more than $60,000 were made to students competing in the 32nd annual Southwest Florida Model UN Conference, a partnership of the Naples Council on World Affairs and Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU). More than 200 high school students from 18 schools in the Southwest Florida area participated.

Some of the top student winners were Siddharth Chaudhari of Fort Myers High School, first place Position Paper, Barbara Markel Memorial Award, $2,500; Jack Welsby, Gulf Coast High School, Ralph J. Bunche Award for attending the most Model UN competitions, $5,500, of which $2,500 was funded by Richard Clemens; and Isabella Lala, Gulf Coast High School, Best Single Year Performance Howard and Nancy Cohen Award, $2,000.

Fort Myers High School won the Edith Hunt Award and $500 for Most Improved School. Top School was Gulf Coast High School, Edith Hunt Award, $1,000. The three Model UN clubs that presented the best proposals on curbing the rise of land-based plastics in SW Florida waters were Cypress Lake High School, first place, Howard and Nancy Cohen Award, $1,000; Cardinal Mooney High School, second place, Patrick Mattingly and Jill Force Award, $750; and Gulf Coast High School, third place, Rollie Crawford Award, $500.

Ali Hofstetter of Port Charlotte High School was named Coach of the Year and received $750 funded by Bob an Erna Place, Patrick Mattingly and Jill Force.