This article is part of the CCA Previews for 2016.
By HSTA EXCO’16
Lauded as one of the oldest CCA in the books, the Raffles History and Strategic Affairs society is not just the wittiest, but also the coolest of the bunch.
Before you get skeptical and think that HSTA is another one of those boring academic CCAs where students sit in circles and talk about history, look again and be ready to be wowed.
Donning snappy suits and dope dresses, be ready to be trained for and participate in competitions known as Model United Nation (MUN) Conferences, where you concoct plans of world domination and pit them against other brilliant minds around the globe.
What exactly are MUNs?
You might think debating is awesome. Or rocking the dance floor at a Zouk party is cool. Now, what if we told you there’s a CCA that does both? The brainchild of a really drunk intellectual a few decades back, Model UN does just that.
As a competitor, you will master the arts of lobbying, public speaking and leadership, as well as hone your knowledge on current affairs as you pit yourself against others.
Whether you’re a butthurt feminist or an aspiring Donald Trump, there’s always a place for you in Model UN. Especially if you’re Donald Trump.
Typically 3 to 4 days long, MUNs are not just opportunities to engage in flirting intellectual contests of wits, but also opportunities to woo network with international delegates from all over the globe.
For most MUN competitions, the most prestigious individual award is the Best Delegate award, given to the swaggiest, followed by the Outstanding Delegate award, and then an honorable mention.
Why join HSTA?
1. We win. A lot.
HSTA is currently the predominant high school MUN club in Singapore, having bagged nearly 40 Best Delegate awards over the course of 8 competitions in 2015. In fact, our CCA broke national records in August this year at the Yale-NUS Model Asean conference, where 18 of our members attained accolades in the competition, with 9 of them bagging the Best Delegate award.
2. Engaging and Rigorous sessions
Having weekly sessions on wednesdays, 3pm-6pm, we conduct focused training on specific skills like lobbying, public speaking, resolution writing and logical reasoning. We also hold regular simulation MUNs where our members practise the art of MUNning against each other.
3. Other fun & meaningful initiatives!
Despite MUN being a cornerstone of our CCA, it is definitely not all that we offer. Our CCA also holds multiple bonding sessions over the year (think movies, games, and pizzas. Truckloads of pizzas). We also organise our very own CIP events where we interact with and coach underprivileged children on oratory confidence and communication skills.
4. Open to all who are passionate!
Even though MUN is an academically rigorous and competitive sport in itself, it is never too late to begin MUNning in JC. Every year, we have various students who have joined without prior Model UN experience but who have gone on to attain various accolades over their MUN career.
5. Organisational opportunities
Apart from excellence in participation, our HSTA members also come together every June to organise our very own flagship Model UN conference, Raffles MUN. Currently the largest MUN competition in the local circuit, we attract more than 400 participants from all over the world.
Our members are also often invited to organise and direct other prestigious MUNs such as Yale-NUS Model Asean Conference conducted by Yale Nus College, and UNASMUN conducted by the United Nations Association of Singapore.
