Members of the Pearl River Central High School model security council have formed strong opinions on world issues due to their participation in the Mississippi Model Security Council hosted by Mississippi State University.

The Mississippi Model Security Council, which took place Feb. 26-28, had students form delegations to represent different countries. Before the students attend the event, delegations must write a resolution that is submitted and then debated by the council at the event.

This year PRC students debated nuclear weapons and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, said PRC model security council members Abby Carter and Skylar Taggart.

Carter said there are two delegates for each country and 15 countries are represented at the Mississippi Model Security Council. She said there is the Permanent 5, which is comprised of France, United States, United Kingdom, China and Russia. There is also the Elected 10, which is comprised of 10 countries that can change each year.

Taggart said the Permanent 5 hold all of the power, so if they vote no on a resolution, it doesn’t pass.

Carter said a former Iraqi delegate for the United Nations, Feisal Istrabadi, spoke at the Mississippi Model Security Council. He told the students that the politics they were dealing with at the model council were the same delegates encounter at the United Nations.

PRC model security council member Morgan Thompson said each year a surprise resolution will be introduced for debate. She said this year the surprise resolution covered ongoing issues in Ukraine.

“As we were debating that resolution, it was happening for real and I thought that was really cool,” Thompson said.

Taggart was a delegate for Russia this year and was responsible for debating the invasion of Ukraine.

Carter said last year two foreign exchange students from Russia were chosen as delegates for their home country. She said the topic was interesting because it wasn’t a scenario they were debating, but instead issues the students dealt with in their everyday lives.

The students prepared for the Mississippi Model Security Council by meeting twice a week. On the week of the event, the group meets three times.

The students do their own research and submit their resolution a month in advance. After the resolution is submitted, the students research other participants’ resolutions.

“You can’t just go in there knowing about your own resolution. You need to know everything about everyone else’s too,” Carter said.

The group also hosts mock debates against each other.

All of the students said they enjoy being on the PRC model security council and participating in the Mississippi Model Security Council.

“You meet new people and become friends with them,” said member Brittany Kennedy.

Taggart said he enjoys the debates and having an opportunity to make his point.

First year participant Korey Hosch said he didn’t know a lot of people in the group before joining the PRC model security council, so he’s enjoyed getting to know the other students on the council and working with them.

Carter and Thompson said their experience with the PRC model security council influenced their future plans.

Carter, who plans on going to law school, said that participating in the Mississippi Model Security Council has piqued her interest in politics, so she plans to major in political science before entering law school.

Thompson said she plans to join the Mississippi State University model security council, who not only hosts the Mississippi Model Security Council, but also competes on the national collegiate level.