Javier Cabrera | News Editor

The Model United Nations Club at Riverside City College is ready to travel to New York for the annual New York Nationals Model United Nations conference March 23-31.

The conference is holding two separate and equal conferences to accommodate all of the participating universities and colleges, and RCC ’s Model United Nations Club is going to be participating in the second conference March 24-28, according to the club’s website.

The club’s website said the conference is the most recognized and attended Model United Nations conference and the club is “happy to be attending again.”

Ally Tu, a head delegate for the RCC’s Model United Nations Club, said the group is going to be representing Barbados at the conference, where the RCC students from the club, will be simulating a real United Nations conference as Barbados’ representatives.

She said last year the club won the Distinguished Delegation Award at the conference last year.

Tomas Ocampo, another head delegate for RCC’s Model United Nations Club, said he has the experience to understand how stressful it can be at the national conferences.

“My job as head delegate is really to help the group prepare and handle anything,” he said.

Ocampo said the club is likely to win awards at the conference because the club’s training consists of being “the most diplomatic, the most cordial and friendly, knowledgeable (at the conference).”

“When you are that kind of person, the awards are sure to follow,” he said.

Ocampo said his favorite part about Model United Nations is being able to help students and work with them on developing new skills.

“You’ll see students who come in and they don’t know how to give a speech at all,” he said. “I get to be in a position where I can help teach students, who were just like me once, on how to stand in front a room of 200 (people), and give a speech and come out of it thinking (he or she) did a good job.”

Ashley Anderson and Cypress Calderon contributed to this report.