West Holmes Ohio Model students learn about other cultures thru United Nations program

MILLERSBURG − The 19 West Holmes students who participated in the Ohio Model United Nations Global Education Program in Columbus in December were presented to the West Holmes Board of Education by advisors Mindy Heffelfinger and Lisa Lang.

The students from West Holmes represented various countries at the conference, including team Ethiopia, India and Italy. They selected an issue that their country was dealing with and tried to come up with a solution.

Team Ethiopia talked about forced underage marriage and team India's topic dealt with getting lower income and rural people registered to help the government of India better understand its population.

Team India was one of 12 teams that convinced all 35 nations to vote in favor of their resolution, leaving zero nations in opposition.

Zac Craft of team Italy, shared the winning rap his team presented in the talent showcase, a take-off of Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby," illustrating his team's topic of the rapid melting of glaciers and other ice.

Craft explained that in the talent showcase, the teams portrayed the cultural knowledge they gathered while representing their nation.

Team Italy's Ice, Ice, Maybe wins international showcase award

"Team Italy decided to perform the song 'That's Amore' by Dean Martin, a song that is strongly associated with many Italian cultural aspects from the first half of our allotted time," Craft said. "Then, to elevate the energy of our performance, we went to a parody of Vanilla Ice's 'Ice, Ice Baby.' It was fitting because our topic was Ice, Ice Maybe."

Craft noted that team Italy made it to the finals of the talent showcase in a showdown against two-time defending champion Perry High School's team Jordan.

"Imagine being from team Jordan and you've won two years in a row," Craft said. "Then a team from West Holmes comes up and they 'Ice, Ice Maybe' a few times and they win. We brought home the international showcase award, Yahoo! The first time in school history.

"Out 1,050 students from 39 school districts, West Holmes took home the talent showcase award, and we were No. 1 in our culture and our talent," she said. "These 19 students are a phenomenal group. What a tremendous opportunity."

Lang mentioned the variety of skills the students displayed during the experience, such as speaking in front of large groups, as well as networking, and making friends across the state.

She thanked the board for supporting the program.

Heffelfinger commended Jevin Zheng of team India who was voted outstanding delegate. Of the 1,050 participating students, 12 were selected outstanding delegates.

Kaelyn Alvarado (team India) and Kassidy Wencel (team Italy) were chosen as outstanding leaders; 40 students earned that honor.

"We are proud of our students. Hopefully, all of them will be back next year," Heffelfinger said.

Elementary students honored

In other business, Lakeville Elementary Principal Rick Mullins commended spelling bee winner Annabelle Snyder.

Millersburg Elementary Principal Renee Woods recognized Millersburg spelling bee winners Kullen Butcher, fifth grade and Edison Butcher, his younger brother in fourth grade, who finished runner-up.

Also honored was Millersburg fifth grader Keith Kaster for achieving a perfect score on the 2022 state math test last year while in the fourth grade.

At the annual reorganization meeting of the West Holmes Local Schools Board of Education, Eric Strouse was appointed president, and Patricia Sage was appointed vice-president.

The board accepted the resignation of boys basketball coach Seth Martin, effective Jan. 6.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: UN program: West Holmes students discuss forced marriage, class system