Cape High School Model UN team to host pancake breakfast
The Model United Nations team at Cape Coral High School is hosting a fund-raising pancake breakfast later this month to raise money for its program to compete against other schools from all over the world.
From March 26-29, members of the team will attend the Washington (D.C.) Area Model United Nations conference at George Washington University. According to Michael Cook, the team’s faculty sponsor, it will cost approximately $17,000 to purchase flights, hotels and conference seats for the 21-member team.
On Jan. 24, the team is hosting a pancake breakfast at the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s on Pine Island Road and Burnt Store from 8:30-10 a.m. Tickets for the breakfast are $5 and include pancakes, choice of bacon or sausage, coffee and juice. The staff at the restaurant will prepare the food and members of the Model UN team will serve it.
“Basically, we’ve had a partnership with Beef ‘O’ Brady’s on Pine Island and Burnt Store for the past few years and they have been exceptionally generous,” said Cook. “I can’t say enough about how much they have helped us.”
Besides the pancake breakfast, the team also raised money with a golf tournament and it plans to host its own Model UN conference at Cape Coral High. Schools from around Lee County, Tampa and North Port are expected to attend.
“It will help offset the costs of the trip to D.C.,” said Cook.
Each year the team participates in competitions revolving around real issues from the UN’s Security Council, Development Committees and World Health Organizations. In 2008 the team attended a conference hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Boston University where it was named “Best Large Delegation.”
In November the team earned first place at the Old City Model UN Conference in St. Augustine. Furthermore, 10 Cape High students were recognized as “superior” delegates and two were recognized as “excellent” delegates.
During the conferences, each member of the club is assigned a country to research. Later, they debate using the countries’ points of view on issues such as piracy, global warming and the presence of malaria in developing countries.
Residents of the community interested in the breakfast can purchase tickets at the door or in advance by calling Michael Cook at 574-6766.