Every year, thousands of high schoolers around the world dedicate their time to diligently study the complexities of the world’s conflicts and develop their diplomacy skills in order to be best prepared to lead the world. While not limited to competitions, this is the work of high school Model UNers. This year, Best Delegate has decided to launch its High School Model UN Diplomatic Excellence Awards to best represent and honor the hard work of high school students who distinguish themselves on the Model UN circuit and best reflect the values of diplomacy. All recipients must have won at least 3 awards at high school Model UN conferences over the course of the 2024-2025 Academic Year to qualify. Without further ado, here are the 2024-2025 award winners!
Michael Adrians, Monona Grove High School, 2026
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at MADMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at CIMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at WHSMUN
Josue Alberro, American Military Academy, 2025
Awards won:
- 3rd Place Medal at CENUPR
- 1st Place Medal at CENUPR
- 1st Place Medal at CENUPR
Josefina Allie, Saint Ignatius College Prep, 2026
Awards won:
- Outstanding Delegate at CSMUN
- Best Delegate at EMPIREMUNC
- Outstanding Delegate at NDMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at LABMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at FWPMUN
- Verbal Commendation at NAIMUN
Lukas Beltz, Saint Ignatius College Prep, 2025
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at EMPIREMUNC
- Best Delegate at NDMUN
- Best Delegate at LABMUNC
- Outstanding Delegate at FWPMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at NAIMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at LYMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at FIMUN
Ben Bostick, Edison High School, 2027
Awards won:
- Commendation at EHSMUN
- Commendation and BRUINMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at HBHSMUN
Jack Burke, Santa Margarita Catholic High School, 2027
Awards won:
- Outstanding Delegate at BMUN
- Best Delegate at LHHSMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at CapoMUN
- Commendation at EdisonMUN
- Commendation at THSMUN
Sean Burke, Glenbrook South High School, 2026
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at KnightMUN
- Best Delegate at LabMUNC
- Outstanding Delegate at MITMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at WVMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at SIMUN
Lorenzo Cazares, Colegio Americano de Torreón, 2027
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at SUNS.
- Best Delegate at CADMUN.
- Delegates of Delegates at CADMUN
Elliott Chi, Edison High School, 2027
Awards won:
- Commendation at BruinMUN
- Commendation at HBHSMUN
- Outstanding at Cerritos MUN
Maanav Chittireddy, John P. Stevens High School, 2026
Awards won:
- Honorable Delegate at ILMUNC
- Honorable Delegate at JPS Flagship
- Best Delegate at EHSMUN
Teddy Chong, Saint Ignatius College Prep, 2025
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at FIMUN
- Best Delegate at NDMUNC
- Best Delegate at FRESHMUN
- Honorable Mention at LABMUNC
Georgene Clark, Edison High School, 2027
Awards won:
- Commendation at LAIMUN
- Commendation at HBHSMUN
- Commendation at BMUN
Lincoln Cole, Frances Xavier Warde School, 2028
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at MUN Conference 3/22/25 Combatting Organized Crime
- Honorable Mention at MUN Conference 2/22/25 Upholding the Land Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the Americas
- Honorable Mention at MUN Conference 11/16/24 Promoting Human Rights and Sustainable Development in the AI Era
Juan Diego Gonzalez Coloma, American Military Academy, 2026
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at CENUPR (St. Francis)
- Outstanding Delegate at CENUPR (Bonneville)
- Outstanding Delegate at CENUPR (Robinson)
- Honorable Mention at CENUPR (University Gardens)
Sasha Eckler, Saint Ignatius College Prep, 2025
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at CSMUN
- Best Delegate at EMPIREMUNC
- Outstanding Delegate at NDMUNC
- Best Delegate at LABMUNC
- Best Delegate at FWPMUN
- Best Delegate at NAIMUN
- Best Delegate at LYMUN
- Best Delegate at FIMUN
Maria Eduarda de Almeida Paiva, North Broward Preparatory School, 2026
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at EagleMUN
- Best Delegate at ArchieMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at MICSUN XII
- Verbal Commendation at AmeriMUNC
Jack Ennis, Saint Ignatius College Prep, 2025
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at EMPIREMUNC
- Honorable Mention at LABMUNC
- Verbal Commendation at NAIMUN
Helen Glass, North Broward Preparatory School, 2026
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at JAGMUN
- Honorable Mention at BULLSMUN
- Honorable Mention at EMPIREMUN
- Best Delegate at ARCHIEMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at GATORMUN
- Honorable Mention at MICSUN
Noah Hanlon, Elyria Catholic High School, 2027
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at CCWA Conference at Lorain County Community College
- Best Delegate at CLEIMUN at St. Edward High School
- Best Delegate at CCWA conference at Case Western Reserve University
Vahan Harabetian, Glenbrook South High School, 2026
Awards won:
- Outstanding Delegate at KnightMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at MITMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at WVMUN
Shankar Harilkrishnan, Adlai E. Stevenson High School, 2028
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at DeMUN
- Best Delegate at SIMUN
- Best Delegate at BDMUN
- Best Patriot at SMUNC
Sarina Harjani, Glenbrook South High School, 2025
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at KnightMUN
- Best Delegate at LABMUNC
- Outstanding Delegate at MITMUNC
- Outstanding Delegate at SIMUN
Ava Hauge, Cottonwood College Prep Academy, 2027
Awards won:
- Honorable Mention at CCPA MUN I
- Outstanding Delegate at CCPA MUN II
- Honorable Mention at Best Delegate High School Conference: Combating Organized Crime
Naiha Hernandez, UHS, Puerto Rico, 2027
Awards won:
- Best Delegation at CENUPR Boneville
- Great Delegation at CENUPR Robinson
- Best Delegation at CENUPR St. Francis
- Best Delegation at CENUPR St. Mary
- Great Delegation at SJSMUN
Sofia Hryhorasz, Saint Ignatius College Prep, 2025
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at EmpireMUNC
- Outstanding Delegate at FIMUN
- Outstanding at CSMUN
- Outstanding at LYMUN
- Honorable at FWPMUN
Andrew Hubbard, Saint Ignatius College Prep, 2027
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at EAGLEMUNC
- Verbal Commendation at NAIMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at LABMUNC
- Outstanding Delegate at CSMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at FWPMUN
- Honorable Delegate at LYMUN
Isa Ibrahim, Hinsdale Central High School, 2027
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at LSCMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at NNMUN
- Honorable Mention at CSMUN
Suryaa Kalyan, Centreville High School, 2026
Awards won:
- Verbal Commendation at MCMUNC
- Outstanding Delegate at VIMMUNC
- Outstanding Delegate at CHMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at ALXMUN
Aleeza Khan, Glenbrook South High School, 2025
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at MITMUN
- Best Delegate at KnightMUN
- Best Delegate at WVMUN
- Honorable Mention at SIMUN
Brooke Knutsen, Edison High School, 2027
Awards won:
- Outstanding at Edison (ADVANCED) Fall Conference
- Outstanding at BMUN
- Research at BMUN
Hannah Kopec, Saint Ignatius College Prep, 2025
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at NAIMUN
- Best Delegate at FIMUN, EMPIREMUNC
- Best Delegate at FWPMUN
- Best Delegate at SMUNC
- Best Delegate at LABMUNC
- Outstanding Delegate at NDMUN
Trinity Kulp, Monona Grove High School, 2025
Awards won:
- Honorable Mention at CIMUN
- Best Black Paper at CIMUN
- Best Delegate at WHSMUN
Zoe Lindhaus, Willamette Valley Academy, 2028
- Best Delegate at February BDMUNC 2025
- Outstanding Delegate at March BDMUNC 2025
- Outstanding Delegate at November BDMUNC 2024
Maggie Marcus, Saint Ignatius College Prep, 2026
Awards won:
- Honorable Delegate at SMUNC
- Best Delegate at CSMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at EMPIREMUNC
- Outstanding Delegate at LABMUNC
- Outstanding Delegate at FWPMUN
- Best Delegate at NAIMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at LYMUN
- Best Delegate at EAGLEMUNC
Natalie McDonald, Saint Ignatius College Prep, 2025
Awards won:
- Outstanding Delegate at LabMUNC
- Outstanding Delegate at CSMUN
- Verbal Commendation at NAIMUN
Haven Medeiros-Schomberg, Edison High School, 2027
Awards won:
- Commendation at LAIMUN
- Commendation at HBHSMUN
- Research Award at HBHSMUN
Mahi Mekala, Notre Dame San Jose, 2027
Awards won:
- Research Award at FREMUNC
- Research Award at BAMUNC
- Outstanding Delegate at PANMUN
- Research & Outstanding Award at BAMUNC
- Outstanding Delegate at Best Delegate
Taha Mostafa, American School of Creative Science, 2026
Awards won:
- Best Speaker at AZPSMUN
- Best Delegate at AVIMUN
- Best Head Chair at GCSMUN
Brandon Nguyen, Edison High School, 2027
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at BerkeleyMUN
- Best Delegate at CHSMUN (Cerritos High School)
- Research Award at BerkeleyMUN
James Nguyen, Advanced Technologies Academy, 2026
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at LVMUN ’25
- Best Delegate at EagleMUN ’24
- Commending Delegate at CRUMUN ’24
Alexa Pla, 2027
Awards won:
- FIMUN 36/ International Court of Justice/ Diplomatic Commendation
- HUDMUN II/ Pre-Korean War/ Honorable Mention
- KnightMUN XXIII/ F1 Board of Directors/ Outstanding Delegate
- DAMUN I/ Gotham Crisis/ Best Delegate
- MISUN XII/ Formula 1: Temple of Speed/ Outstanding Delegate
- FIMUN 37/ Crisis Ad-Hoc / Diplomatic Commendation
Kaitlyn Qin, Greenwich High School, 2027
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at YMUNK (Yale in Korea)
- Outstanding Delegate at BosMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at AmeriMUNC
Cate Reed, Cottonwood College Prep Academy, 2028
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at CCPA MUN I
- Best Delegate at CCPA MUN II
- Honorable Mention at Best Delegate High School Conference: Upholding the Land Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the Americas
- Honorable Mention at Best Delegate High School Conference: Combating Organized Crime
Liliana Rivera, Edison High School, 2027
Awards won:
- Commendation at EHSMUN
- Research Award at BruinMUN
- Commendation at HBHSMUN
Thomas Rossman, New Trier High School, 2025
Awards won:
- Outstanding Delegate at WUMUNS
- Honorable Mention at NAIMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at MUNUC
- Outstanding Delegate at FIMUN
Loyda Ruiz, Colegio Congregacion Mita, 2025
Awards won:
- Distinguished Delegate at BONNEVILLEMUN (CENUPR)
- Outstanding Delegate RSMUN (CENUPR)
- Outstanding Delegate at SFSMUN (CENUPR)
- Best Delegate at UGHSMUN (CENUPR)
Ana Sai, Edison High School, 2027
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at BMUN (Berkeley MUN)
- Commendation at LAIMUN
- Commendation at Surf City XXII
Bea Samuels, The Newman School, 2027
Awards won:
- Best Negotiator UN Association of Greater Boston (UNAGB)
- Outstanding Delegate Yale Korea Model UN (YMUN Korea)
- Outstanding Delegate Georgetown Model UN (NAIMUN)
- Honorable Mention Dartmouth Model UN (DartMUN)
Alexa Santiago, UHS, Puerto Rico, 2026
- Best Delegation at CENUPR Bonneville
- Great Delegation at CENUPR Robinson
- Best Delegation at CENUPR St. Francis
- Best Delegation at CENUPR St. Mary’s
Arjun Shah, Glenbrook South High School, 2026
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at WVMUNC
- Outstanding Delegate at SIMUN
- Verbal Accommodation at LabMUNC
- Outstanding Delegate at MITMU
Siya Shah, Glenbrook South High School, 2026
Awards won:
- Best at Boston University
- Outstanding at University of Chicago Lab
- Honorable at University of Central Florida
- Honorable at Carl Sandburg
- Outstanding at Carl Sandburg
- Honorable at Lyons Township
Nicolas Silva, Saint Ignatius College Prep, 2027
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at CSMUN
- Best Delegate at LYMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at LABMUNC
- Outstanding Delegate at NAIMUN
- Honorable Mention at SMUNC
- Honorable Mention at EMPIREMUNC
- Honorable Mention at FWPMUN
- Verbal Commendation at EAGLEMUNC
Trisha Srivastava, Garnet Valley High School, 2026
Awards won:
- Outstanding Delegate at WUMUNS
- Outstanding Delegate at ILMUNC
- Outstanding Delegate at FIMUN
Josie Stoltz, Saint Ignatius College Prep, 2026
Awards won:
- Best Delegate: NDMUN
- Best Delegate: CSMUN
- Outstanding Delegate: NAIMUN
- Honorable Delegate: LYMUN
- Verbal Commendation: EmpireMUNC
Arina Terenteva, North Broward Preparatory School, 2026
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at EMPIREMUNC XI
- Honorable Mention at CAHSMUN
- Verbal Accommodation at BULLSMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at EAGLEMUN
Ella Thorpe, Edison High School, 2027
Awards won:
- Commendation EdisonMUN
- Research Award BruinMUN
- Research Award BMUN
Steven Tunison, George School, 2026
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at GETTMUN
- Best Delegate at FHSMUNC
- Best Delegate at QMUNC
- Best Delegate at BDMUNC
- Honorable Mention at AmeriMUNC
Marleen Walter, Edison High School, 2027
Awards won:
- Commendable Achievement at EHSMUN
- Research Award at BruinMUN
- Commendation at Surf City (HB)
- Research Award at BMUN
Lily Zea, Monona Grove High School, 2026
Awards won:
- Outstanding Delegate at Best Delegate
- Best Delegate at MADMUN
- Outstanding Delegate at CIMUN
- Best Advocate (for the ICJ) at CIMUN
Sihan Zhang, Mission San Jose High School, 2027
Awards won:
- Best Delegate at SFMUN
- Best Delegate at GMUNC
- Outstanding Delegate at PANMUN
- Honorable Mention at SCVMUN
Want to be featured for a Diplomatic Excellence Award? It’s not too late! Submit your information to this link by May 31st to get featured.
