In 1997-98 the Education Committee undertook several initiatives, under the leadership of Margaret Bates and Scott Behoteguy. Working with social studies teachers in the public school systems of both Sarasota and Manatee counties, a six-hour training program dealing with the United Nations was created. The first of these, in October 1997, considered the evolution of peacekeeping and other security issues. The second program featured a workshop and luncheon, held jointly with Phi Beta Kappa, at which Joe Sills, director of the United Nations Office in Washington, was the major speaker, and discussion centered on UN-US relations and problems of finance, especially US failure to pay UN dues. This meeting occurred just as UN confrontation with Iraq reached a climax, and involved some spirited argument. The third session canvassed human rights, work of the specialized agencies, issues of the UN reform and a variety of other topics.
The programs were attended by six teachers from middle and high schools, who were interested in everything from the position of women to model UNs, as well as UNA members and, in January, about 100 members of Phi Beta Kappa. Materials from both the UN and the UNA were distributed, posters displayed, and the UN and UNA internet addresses introduced. While we were disappointed that a larger number of teachers did not attend, those who did expressed substantial interest in adding material on the UN to their curricula and in continuing their own interest. The teachers will be given one year membership in the UNA and will receive its publications. We learned a lot about organizing a program for teachers, and hope to carry on a larger and more wide-ranging one in the future. As a footnote, we've recently received a syllabus of a training program created by Tom Cook of the Tampa UNA Chapter which has several ideas for future use.
Robert Condon has continued to encourage schools to create model UN programs and several of our teachers' group (especially those from Venice) may try to undertake simulations of the Security Council or a UN Conference. Daniel Luu has greatly improved our access to information by guiding us to UN and UNA Web pages. Elisabeth Ethal and Margaret Bates continue their work to create a Girl Scout badge on the UN; it's hoped that work on this will be completed this summer.
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