Shawnigan's Johnny B. was awarded a 'Book Prize' for his skill and contribution in the Security Council at the recent McGill University's Secondary Schools' United Nations Symposium (SSUNS).

The SSUNS conference is one of Canada's, if not the western hemisphere's, most prestigious Model United Nations conference, hosting approximately 1,300 high school students from across North America. Johnny was a member of the United Nations Security Council as a delegate for Columbia. The primary focus for his delegation was to strategize plans for stabilizing post-revolution Egypt. An additional area of debate was the biological and chemical weaponry in the People's Republic of Korea.

SSUNS is first and foremost a friendly and stimulating environment in which delegates can freely exchange ideas by debating, discussing and reaching agreement on all manner of international issues. Awards at SSUNS are bestowed upon those delegates whose behaviour at the conference enriches the learning of their peers to an exceptional degree. Johnny was awarded a 'Book Prize' by his committee directors (McGill undergraduates), who wished to recognize his enthusiastic and dynamic participation in the Security Council.

The grade 12 student is overwhelmed by the official recognition he received at SUNSS. "To go up and accept an award in a room of 1,300 people was pretty awesome. The best part, however, was more that I was winning an award for Shawnigan. It was awesome to bring home something that we as a School and as a delegation can be proud of. And I wouldn't have received the award if it wasn't for the support and drive of our teachers Mr. Klassen or Mrs. Coy making sure I was well-prepared. This award is definitely a cherry for my grade 12 year."