The MBMS Model United Nations (MUN) Club is at risk of getting cut permanently unless we work with the MBMS Administration, MBMS PTA and the MBUSD district to save it. The two primary issues the administration and district have raised are as follows:

• Hosting the club during school lunch as opposed to holding it after school; and
• Funding to pay one teacher a modest stipend (estimated to be $2,000-$4,000) to supervise the program one day a week for one hour after school.

 The positive impact of hosting the club during school lunch hours will not be as great as holding it after school because students would be skipping lunch, unable to focus and the Mira Costa MUN students wouldn’t be able to support the club and gain mentorship experience. 

Additionally, the funding required to maintain the club is small compared to the big benefits the club brings to the community including:

• MBMS students gain the skills of public speaking, understanding international relations, and diplomacy
• MBMS MUN provides a pathway for those middle school students seeking higher level English Language Arts (ELA) opportunities by incorporating the need to research and write strong position papers in preparation for each MUN debate
• For returning MBMS MUN students, the MBMS MUN Club provides leadership opportunities
• For Mira Costa High School MUN students, the MUN Club is a great mentorship opportunity for them and is very useful to include on applications to colleges
• Allows MBMS MUN students, Hermosa MUN Club students and Mira Costa MUN students to collaborate and making friendships that aid in the transition to high school
• Promotes Manhattan Beach education through the middle school participation in the Los Angeles Invitational Model United Nations (LAIMUN) Conference that Mira Costa hosts annually
• Prepares middle school students for Mira Costa’s Intro to MUN program, one of the most popular at the school
• MBMS MUN allows all students to be able to connect with various people with various interests and discover the world around us, history and the events yet to come.
• Aside from MBMS Math Club that was launched this year with support from the MBMS PTA, MBMS MUN is the only other academic enrichment program available to middle schoolers, although we have many opportunities for after school sports programs

We cannot allow students to lose the chances to improve their futures by being a part of the MUN Club. A spark of change starts with you. Your choice to sign this petition would and will save the futures of millions more. Let's save the MUN Club. Let's save futures.