The University of Montana hosted the 60th annual Montana Model United Nations Conference last month, welcoming nearly 300 high school students from 14 schools across Montana and Idaho for two days of debate, collaboration and immersive civic learning. Students earned a variety of awards during the conference.
Model UN gives students the opportunity to step into the roles of international delegates, research global issues, draft resolutions and build consensus through diplomacy and negotiation, mirroring the work of the United Nations. The conference strengthens public speaking, writing and leadership skills while encouraging critical thinking and respectful dialogue across differing viewpoints.
Speakers included Jason Bellini, an award-winning journalist who has worked for the Wall Street Journal, CNN and Scripps News, and Channing Hartelius, a UM alumnus, attorney and businessman from Great Falls who served as secretary-general for the MMUN conference during the 1960s.
Other prominent MMUN alumni who attended the 60th anniversary conference included Louise and Don Krumm and Jennifer Isern.
Several UM partners helped make this milestone conference possible, including the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the Department of Political Science.
The 2025 Montana Model UN student award winners are:
Delegate Awards
General Assembly First Committee (GA-1)
Honorable Delegates (Top 20%)
| From | Representing | Delegate |
| Gallatin High School | Germany | Elina Jiang |
| Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy | Algeria | Indira Alford |
| Hellgate High School | Costa Rica | Keira Kujawa |
| Gallatin High School | Nepal | Anna Paige Elwell |
| Flathead High School | Israel | Colton Crandall |
Distinguished Delegates (Top 10%) – Certificate
| From | Representing | Delegate |
| Flathead High School | Cuba | Cheyann Kestalyn |
| Gallatin High School | Venezuela | Katelyn Vanamburg |
| Flathead High School | China | Miles Flake |
| Hellgate High School | Thailand | William Hansen |
Outstanding Delegates (Top 1-2%) – Medals
| From | Representing | Delegate |
| Gallatin High School | United Kingdom | Kayla Lobb |
| Hellgate High School | France | William Ries |
General Assembly Third Committee (GA-3)
Honorable Delegates (Top 20%)
| From | Representing | Delegate |
| Flathead High School | Fiji | Padmaja Vatti |
| Gallatin High School | Liechtenstein | Adelaide Stern |
| Hellgate High School | New Zealand | Hyun Joon (Joshua) Na |
| Gallatin High School | Germany | Mackenzie Lupher |
| Heritage Academy | Iran | Dawson Gilbert |
| Gallatin High School | Syrian Arab Republic | Finley Samuels |
Distinguished Delegates (Top 10%) – Certificate
| From | Representing | Delegate |
| Sentinel High School | Qatar | Jamie Marks |
| Flathead High School | Israel | Keegan West |
| Sentinel High School | Denmark | Annabelle Brock |
| Hellgate High School | France | Cecelia Spencer |
Outstanding Delegates (Top 1-2%) – Medals
| From | Representing | Delegate |
| Gallatin High School | United Kingdom | Rhea Lowe |
| Hellgate High School | Chile | Inara Bulmahn |
United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA)
Honorable Delegates (Top 20%)
| From | Representing | Delegate |
| Hellgate High School | New Zealand | Ellette Whitcomb |
| Hellgate High School | Montenegro | Emerson Dady |
| Bozeman High School | Brazil | Gracie Dice |
| Heritage Academy | United States of America | Teddy Cotton |
| Big Sky High School | Pakistan | Porter Jacobson |
| Bozeman High School | Saudi Arabia | Gigi Smith |
Distinguished Delegates (Top 10%)
| From | Representing | Delegate |
| Bozeman High School | Panama | Alex Hansen |
| Gallatin High School | Liechtenstein | Kei Braun |
| Hellgate High School | Italy | Robert Gibbons |
| Hellgate High School | Iraq | Oliver Clayton |
Outstanding Delegates (Top 1-2%)
| From | Representing | Delegate |
| Hellgate High School | Costa Rica | Kieran Alviar |
| Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy | Algeria | Haley Viaud |
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
Honorable Delegates (Top 20%)
| From | Representing | Delegate |
| Hellgate High School | Costa Rica | Aleksandra Cowie |
| Glacier High School | Guatemala | Hailey Fiala |
| Flathead High School | Israel | Logan Yuasa-Green |
| Hellgate High School | Montenegro | Beauden Chatriand |
| Hellgate High School | Thailand | Molly Simms |
Distinguished Delegates (Top 10%)
| From | Representing | Delegate |
| Hellgate High School | Sri Lanka | Meena Bulmahn |
| Heritage Academy | United States of America | Grace Bell |
| Flathead High School | China | Elle Sauer |
| Hellgate High School | France | Ariana Roberts |
Outstanding Delegates (Top 1-2%)
| From | Representing | Delegate |
| Gallatin High School | United Kingdom | Ezra Graham |
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Honorable Delegates (Top 20%)
| From | Representing | Delegate |
| Hellgate High School | Costa Rica | Jasper Alviar |
| Gallatin High School | Germany | Helen Raaf |
| Flathead High School | Cuba | Fenton Liebe-Cohen |
| Gallatin High School | Liechtenstein | Lola Pizzatto-Smith |
Distinguished Delegates (Top 10%)
| From | Representing | Delegate |
| Glacier High School | India | Joshua Lee |
| Flathead High School | China | Beatrice Poitra |
| Big Sky High School | Japan | Eli Huckeby |
| Gallatin High School | United Kingdom | Miles Meinders |
Outstanding Delegates (Top 1-2%)
| From | Representing | Delegate |
| Hellgate High School | France | Carsten Bowen |
Security Council (SC)
Honorable Delegate (Top 20%)
| From | Representing | Delegate |
| Big Sky High School | Japan | Eden Finlinson |
Distinguished Delegate (Top 10%)
| From | Representing | Delegate |
| Flathead High School | China | Jake Milone |
Outstanding Delegate (Top 1-2%)
| From | Representing | Delegate |
| Sentinel High School | Denmark | Alyssa Stephens |
Position Paper Awards
Honorable Position Papers (Top 20%)
| From (school) | Representing | Student |
| Gallatin High School | Venezuela | Katelyn VanAmburg |
| Heritage Academy | El Salvador | Caroline Owens |
| Gallatin High School | Nepal | Anna Paige Elwell |
| Hellgate High School | France | William Ries |
| Hellgate High School | Iraq | August Crouch |
| Gallatin High School | Germany | Victoria Bender |
| Hellgate High School | Italy | Sylvie Semanoff |
| Big Sky High School | Kenya | Sarah Jacobson |
| Hellgate High School | New Zealand | Camille Cellier |
| Darby High School | Canada | Tanner Shavers |
| Columbia Falls High School | Russia | Chloe Kinsella |
| Hellgate High School | Thailand | Declan Pham |
| Hellgate High School | Italy | Elliotte Banziger |
| Gallatin High School | Peru | Hannah Rupprecht |
| Hellgate High School | France | Cecelia Spencer |
| Hellgate High School | Costa Rica | Kieran Alivar |
| Hellgate High School | New Zealand | Ellette Whitcomb |
| Bozeman High School | Brazil | Gracie Dice |
| Glacier High School | Guatemala | Z Belt |
| Flathead High School | China | Hadden Lavilla |
| Big Sky High School | Japan | Will Van Tine |
| Flathead High School | Norway | Natalie Young |
| Hellgate High School | Italy | CJ Gimpelson |
| Heritage Academy | Hungary | Lucas Spann |
| Gallatin High School | Mongolia | Christopher Zacher |
Distinguished Position Papers (Top 10%) – Certificate
| From (school) | Representing | Student |
| Hellgate High School | Costa Rica | Kiera Kujawa |
| Gallatin High School | Philippines | Maia Maganito |
| Flathead High School | Cuba | Cheyann Kesteleyn |
| Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy | Algeria | Indira Alford |
| Gallatin High School | United Kingdom | Kayla Lobb |
| Hellgate High School | Montenegro | Beauden Chatriand |
| Flathead High School | China | Elle Sauer |
| Hellgate High School | Sri Lanka | Meena Bulmahn |
| Heritage Academy | United States of America | Reece Brotherton |
| Hellgate High School | New Zealand | Hyun Joon (Joshua) Na |
| Hellgate High School | Chile | Inara Bulmahn |
| Heritage Academy | United States of America | Willow Rinehart |
| Gallatin High School | United Kingdom | Rhea Lowe |
| Gallatin High School | Liechtenstein | Kei Braun |
| Big Sky High School | Kenya | Olivia Nelsen |
| Gallatin High School | Nepal | Tess Levin |
| Gallatin High School | Mongolia | Gavin Shiver |
| Hellgate High School | Costa Rica | Jasper Alviar |
| Gallatin High School | Germany | Helen Raaf |
| Glacier High School | India | Joshua Lee |
Outstanding Position Papers (Top 1-2%) – Medals
| From (school) | Representing | Student |
| Hellgate High School | Thailand | Will Hansen |
| Flathead High School | Israel | Logan Yuasa-Green |
| Flathead High School | China | Jake Milone |
| Whitehall High School | Iceland | Max Fernstrom |
| Bozeman High School | Panama | Alexandra Hansen |
| Big Sky High School | Japan | Eli Huckeby |
Top 30 Seniors (All Medals)
Top 5 (Scholarship Recipients)
| From (school) | Representing | Student | Committee |
| Gallatin High School | United Kingdom | Rhea Lowe | GA3 |
| Hellgate High School | Sri Lanka | Meena Bulmahn | ECOSOC |
| Gallatin High School | United Kingdom | Ezra Graham | ECOSOC |
| Glacier High School | India | Joshua Lee | IAEA |
| Bozeman High School | Panama | Alex Hansen | UNEA |
Remaining Top Seniors (Reserve Scholarship Recipients)
| From (school) | Representing | Student | Committee |
| Gallatin High School | United Kingdom | Kayla Lobb | GA1 |
| Flathead High School | China | Beatrice Poitra | IAEA |
| Hellgate High School | France | Carsten Bowen | IAEA |
| Flathead High School | Cuba | Cheyann Kestalyn | GA1 |
| Hellgate High School | Chile | Inara Bulmahn | GA3 |
| Sentinel High School | Denmark | Alyssa Stephens | SC |
| Hellgate High School | New Zealand | Ellette Whitcomb | UNEA |
| Hellgate High School | Thailand | William Hansen | GA1 |
| Hellgate High School | France | William Ries | GA1 |
| Gallatin High School | Germany | Elina Jiang | GA1 |
| Flathead High School | China | Jake Milone | SC |
| Big Sky High School | Japan | Eden Finlinson | SC |
| Heritage Academy | United States of America | Teddy Cotton | UNEA |
| Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy | Indonesia | Hayden Ellison | UNEA |
| Hellgate High School | France | Ariana Roberts | ECOSOC |
| Flathead High School | Norway | Natalie Young | IAEA |
| Gallatin High School | Germany | Victoria Bender | ECOSOC |
| Hellgate High School | Italy | Sylvie Semanoff | ECOSOC |
| Hellgate High School | New Zealand | Hyun Joon Na | GA3 |
| Hellgate High School | Italy | Charlotte (CJ) Gimpelson | IAEA |
| Jefferson | South Africa | Logan Gasch | SC |
| Heritage Learning | Iran | Brynn Mason | IAEA |
| Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy | Indonesia | Alexander Mroczko | IAEA |
| Columbia Falls High School | Russia | Sage Petioni | ECOSOC |
| Hellgate High School | France | Ryall Pham | SC |
Country Awards
Honorable Country Delegations (Top 20%) – Verbal Commendation
| Country | Represented by (school) |
| Germany | Gallatin High School |
| Chile | Hellgate High School |
| Japan | Big Sky High School |
| Venezuela | Gallatin High School |
| New Zealand | Hellgate High School |
| Thailand | Hellgate High School |
| Guatemala | Glacier High School |
| Italy | Hellgate High School |
| Algeria | CDA Charter |
Distinguished Country Delegations (Top 10%) – Certificate
| Country | Represented by (school) |
| Liechtenstein | Gallatin High School |
| United States of America | Heritage Academy |
| Denmark | Sentinel High School |
| Cuba | Flathead High School |
| Qatar | Sentinel High School |
Outstanding Country Delegations (Top 5%) – Plaque
| Country | Represented by (school) |
| United Kingdom | Gallatin High School |
| Costa Rica | Hellgate High School |
| France | Hellgate High School |
School Awards
Honorable Schools (Top 30%)
| Category | School | Advisor(s) |
| Small Delegation: | CDA Charter | Kevinn Smith |
| Large Delegations: | Flathead HS | Scott O’Donnell |
Distinguished Schools (Top 20%)
| Category | School | Advisor(s) |
| Small Delegation: | Glacier HS | Beau Wright |
Outstanding Schools (Top 10%)
| Category | School | Advisor(s) |
| Small Delegation: | Big Sky High School | Sari Chabot and Zach Craig |
| Large Delegation: | Gallatin High School | Logan Aytes |
Staff Awards
| Role | Recognition | UM Student Name | Committee |
| Expert | Honorable Mention | Morgan Larson, Sam Konen, Evyn Kolczak-Hardy-S | |
| Expert | Best Expert | Stuart Doyle | IAEA |
| Rapporteur | Honorable Mention | Aubrey VanOrder | GA-1 |
| Rapporteur | Best Rapporteur | Tucker Thorn | SC |
| Vice Chair | Honorable Mention | James Nelson | IAEA |
| Vice Chair | Best Vice-Chair | Heath Voy | SC |
| Chair | Honorable Mention | Rylin Wilde | GA-1 |
| Chair | Best Chair | Aiden Rohn | SC |
by: UM News service