At Laguna Beach High School, students can find a wide range of clubs, sports, hobbies, and extracurricular activities that foster both community and belonging on and off campus. Among the school’s most established and influential programs is Model United Nations, which meets in the library every Tuesday night from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. On Tuesday nights, the LBHS library transforms from a quiet study space into a fast-paced hub of debate preparation, lesson planning, and last-minute problem solving as more than 100 students gather for MUN. Beyond the conferences and public speaking skills the program is known for, what truly distinguishes it is its deeply student-led structure.
The MUN program includes more than 100 students, 25 secretariat staff members, two advisors, and two Secretaries-General who serve as the program’s overall student leaders. Each year, new Secretaries-General are selected through a competitive application process involving written applications, individual interviews, and a public panel interview held during a Tuesday night class. For the 2025-2026 school year, seniors Kate Hennessy and Ciara Paul earned these respected positions after dedicating countless hours to strengthening the program long before their election at the end of the 2024-2025 school year.
Kate Hennessy, who will attend Columbia University and Trinity College Dublin in the fall of 2026, joined the LBHS Model United Nations program during her sophomore year. Outside of MUN, Kate has pursued leadership opportunities through Global Outreach, student advocacy, and internships connected to public policy. Beyond academics and leadership, she enjoys yoga, traveling, and trying new foods. In college, Kate plans to major in European Studies at Trinity and Political Science at Columbia, with the possibility of adding Finance as a second major while in New York. Ultimately, she hopes to pursue a career in international policy.
Reflecting on her experience as Secretary-General, Kate explains that “the most difficult challenges this year were finding ways to keep over 100 students engaged in class. With the largest program we’ve had, it was definitely a challenge to navigate, but it ultimately pushed me to become a more adaptable and effective leader.” Her perspective reveals the immense amount of behind-the-scenes work required to lead a program of this scale, much of which revolves around organization, planning, and logistics.
Ciara Paul, who will attend the University of Notre Dame in the fall of 2026, has been involved in Model United Nations since her freshman year at LBHS. Outside of MUN, she serves as co-president of Global Outreach, a club focused on promoting sustainability and supporting female entrepreneurs in developing countries. She has also worked at Gelato Paradiso since her freshman year and completed an internship at a wealth management firm last summer. Ciara plans to study Finance in college and hopes to pursue a career in financial services, potentially in investment banking or wealth management.
As she reflected on both MUN and her senior year overall, Ciara shared that her “greatest challenges have been creating activities and lessons that engage all 100+ students in [the MUN] program, the largest it has ever been. Outside of MUN, navigating the college decision process required a great deal of reflection and deliberation. In both cases, I found that giving myself time and trusting my instincts about the best fit, for both our [MUN] class and for myself, led me to the right decisions.” Her thoughtful perspective highlights the dedication and balance required to manage both the demands of senior year and the responsibilities of serving as Secretary-General.
Some of the girls’ favorite memories from MUN come from the program’s annual travel conferences. Ciara shares her excitement about having the opportunity to “[debate] with international students, [visit] national monuments, [shop], and [explore] new cities with [her] closest friends,” while Kate reflects on the Tuesday night classes, explaining how she loves “laughing at silly MUN jokes with with everyone and running around the Tuesday before LBIMUN like a crazy person.” Together, these memories capture both the rewarding and chaotic nature of the MUN experience and the close-knit community built through the program.
As these standout students prepare to leave Laguna Beach and begin new chapters of their lives, both hope to leave behind meaningful legacies within the MUN community. Kate shared that she hopes “people remember [her] as someone who created an inclusive environment where everyone’s opinions were respected and listened to,” and outside of MUN, she “hopes to leave the legacy of a kind and hardworking student and friend.” Ciara added that she hopes “delegates remember [herself and Kate] as approachable, inviting Secretaries-General who fostered a collaborative environment where every voice felt valued.”
Although the conferences, speeches, and awards often define Model United Nations from the outside, Kate Hennessy and Ciara Paul say the heart of the program has always been the community built during long Tuesday nights in the library. As they prepare to graduate, they leave behind not only one of the largest MUN programs in school history but also a culture of collaboration and mentorship that future delegates will continue to carry forward.
