Media Simulation & Webcast Part of Program

By the time the world leaders come together for the Pittsburgh G-20 Summit, students at Pine-Richland High School (PRHS) will have already begun talking about global issues.

That’s because nearly two dozen PRHS students will have a chance to participate in the Pittsburgh G-20 Student Summit that’s being hosted by Fox Chapel High School on September 17, 2009.

Pine-Richland School District sees the Pittsburgh G-20 Student Summit as a chance for students to participate in discussions of G-20 topics. This is a great forum for them to participate as global citizens. The summit will help students connect even more with the World Affairs Council, which will give them more connections to volunteer opportunities addressing global issues and issues that impact the Pittsburgh area. Students will have a chance to see Pittsburgh is the place to stay, because of the technology, research and development that takes place right at home.

PRHS senior Patrick Nowak, PRHS Student Council President, will be participating with his classmates at the program, which he says will be beneficial.

“The mock G-20 Student Summit is an excellent opportunity for students to discuss international public policy decisions and to see these decisions from the perspective of other countries,” Nowak said.

In all, PRHS will have 23 students participating in the student summit, including three students who will serve as mock media representatives. PRHS Teachers Terry Owens and Jeanine Esch are overseeing PRHS participation at Fox Chapel. Owens is the Model UN sponsor. PRHS Students planning on participating at Fox Chapel include: Cameron Barnes, Tyler Bendickson, John Bute, Jake Chavara, Sasha Davisson, Zach Dionise, Katie Dunn, Nigel Halliday, Maggie Hutchinson, Geoff King, Sophie Macon, Catherine McAnney, Allie McGrath, Michael Morrissey, Edward Misback, Danny Nigh, Pat Nowak, Ji-Ho Park, Alexa Profozich and Cassidy Welter. These 20 students are students who have had past experience with the Model UN, high level social studies classes and/or internships with the World Affairs Council.

Three PRHS students Jen Jokl, Alex Martin & Ben Nigh will serve as members of the media at the student summit. They will be videotaping and interviewing participants. They will return and create a report for the high school’s television station PR-TV and have a chance to blog about the program. Teacher Aaron Koehler and the media services department’s TV/Stage Manager Steve Karpinski and Media Services Technician William Clack will be assisting them with operations.

PRHS Students, who are interested in participating, but not to the extent that the group is, will have a chance to watch the discussions live via webcast in the auditorium of PRHS. Technology Director Ron Meisberger is planning to connect participants up to the internet in auditorium, so students can participate via the web. Students will be able to send in questions over the internet.

Teacher Tim Rupert and Counselor Rachael Mandell will oversee participation back here at Pine-Richland High School.

The day at Fox Chapel will be broken up into three parts: 9-10:30 a.m. – Panel Discussion & Q&A, 10:30 a.m. – Noon – G-20 Delegation Policy Scenario Discussion and Noon to 12:45 p.m. – Moderated Policy Reporting.

Students from PRHS will participate in those sessions at Fox Chapel, while students who are staying behind will be able to participate as well and participate in their own policy scenario discussions.

They will get to see the resolution their classmates came up with at Fox chapel and follow up with questions.

The Pittsburgh G-20 Student Summit is being presented by the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh. The mission of the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh is to promote, on a non-partisan basis, understanding of important international issues, throughout the community and with a special focus on the region's secondary schools.