Calabasas Model United Nations continued its competitive season at USC’s Southern California MUN XIII conference, held on February 28 and March 1, 2026. Competing against schools from across the region, CHS delegates demonstrated preparation and an in-depth knowledge of global issues. Although several delegates from Calabasas were unable to attend, which lowered Calabasas’ representation at the conference, a portion of the team was still able to receive individual awards.
Southern California MUN XIII, hosted by the University of Southern California, is one of the more challenging university conferences that is open to general members. This conference was open to all of the MUN students at Calabasas, but there were 30 spots available, so it was first-come, first-served.
Delegates spent weeks preparing position papers, researching international policies, and practicing speeches during the weekly training sessions held after school, leading up to the conference.
Sophomore Chantal Massachi, award winner at SCMUN, said preparation required constant effort.
“I would say about four hours leading up to it, but in a breakdown, like two to three hours per week,” Massachi said.
She explained that attending training sessions and carefully writing her position paper made her feel comfortable in committee.
“I tried to show up to as many training sessions as I possibly could,” she said. “I did a lot of prep, especially with writing the position paper, which really helped me. Researching my topic and country helped, and kind of making it fun and interesting for myself.”
Sophomore Isaac Yashouafar, who earned an Honorable Mention at the conference, said he does his preparation individually because of his experience in the club.
“Usually, if there’s a conference that week, I’d probably spend maybe like four hours and an additional two hours specifically on a position paper,” Yashouafar said. “Honestly, I would prepare by myself as I’ve done this for a long time. So I’m used to the process of preparing.”
Throughout the two-day conference, students debated topics like the Human Settlements Programme, Disarmament and International Security, and the Commission on Narcotic Drugs. Students worked within committees to draft resolutions and collaborate with other delegations.
Massachi, who has attended multiple conferences, said her experience has helped her grow as a delegate.
“I’ve gone to USC twice and UCLA once, and I’ve also gone to a few high school conferences,” she said. “I’ve done standard GA, I’ve tried crisis, and I’ve tried specialized and more economic bodies.”
Yashouafar, meanwhile, has focused extensively on General Assembly committees throughout his time in the club.
“I’ve only done General Assembly out of all my committees,” he said.
SCMUN marked his 11th participation as a delegate and his 13th conference overall, including advising roles.
Calabasas earned multiple awards in recognition of its performance. Isaac Yashouafar, Dipanjali Suresh, and Chantal Massachi received Honorable Mentions for their work in committee. Olivia Andraus and Rachel Lowe earned Verbal Commendations for their contributions to debate. Logan Madnick and Lori Luo were recognized with the Exemplary Research award for their preparation and detailed policy knowledge.
Yashouafar noted that his Honorable Mention added to his growing list of awards.
“In the past conference, I got an honorable mention, and this would have been my ninth award total,” he said.
The awards reflect both individual dedication and the strength of Calabasas MUN. Delegates were not only evaluated on their speeches but also on their leadership during unmoderated caucuses and their ability to negotiate resolutions.
The travel team plans to attend New York National High School MUN in mid-March, which is the world’s largest MUN conference. The general program will also be attending Claremont McKenna College’s MUN conference in April.
Editor’s Note: The writer is a delegate and member of the Calabasas MUN team.
