The Middle School Circuit refers to the subset of Model United Nations activity organized for pre-high-school delegates, typically grades 6 through 8. It operates as a developmental tier beneath the high school and collegiate circuits, with conferences, training camps, and travel teams aimed at introducing younger students to parliamentary procedure, research, and public speaking before they reach more competitive levels.
Conferences on this circuit are usually hosted by either universities running a dedicated middle school weekend, high schools secretariat-ing a one- or two-day event for feeder schools, or independent organizations. Well-known examples in the United States include conferences run by Ivy League and other university teams (such as Princeton, Penn, and Cornell variants), as well as regional events on the East Coast, in Texas, and in California. Internationally, THIMUN and other organizations also host junior or middle-school equivalents.
Key features that distinguish the middle school circuit from older tiers:
- Shorter committee sessions and simplified rules of procedure, often modeled on but trimmed from standard THIMUN or Harvard-style rules.
- Smaller committee sizes and a heavier emphasis on General Assembly and crisis-lite formats rather than complex specialized agencies or joint crisis committees.
- More structured chairing, with dais teams actively coaching delegates through motions, moderated caucuses, and resolution drafting.
- Awards philosophy that frequently rewards collaboration and improvement alongside traditional Best Delegate recognitions, though competitiveness varies widely by conference.
The circuit serves as a pipeline: programs like NAIMUN, ILMUNC, BosMUN, and BMUN each run middle school siblings (e.g., NAIMUN-MS, ILMUNC-MS, BosMUN MS, BMUN MS) that feed delegates into their flagship high school events. Coaches use the circuit to build research and writing habits early, and many competitive high school teams scout incoming students from local middle school conferences.
Example
In 2023, hundreds of grade 6–8 delegates from across the Mid-Atlantic attended ILMUNC-MS, hosted by the University of Pennsylvania International Affairs Association as the middle school companion to ILMUNC.
Frequently asked questions
It uses simplified rules, shorter sessions, and smaller committees, with chairs taking a more instructional role. Topics tend to be broader and less technical than on the high school circuit.
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