United Nations Essay Contest Spurs Inspiration to Give Back

Sharon Kim
Bergen County Academies
Fort Lee, New Jersey

Sharon Kim had a very busy summer; be sure to read her account of participating in a diversity workshop; she has also shared her experience being honored at the United Nations for winning the 2007 UNA-USA National Essay Contest. Read more about the contest on the UN website.

I always have had an interest in international relations. Ever since I was ten years old, I would tell my parents that I wanted to be a global leader who can assist the community through crises and humanitarian situations. To fulfill my goals, I joined the Model United Nations club and LiNK (Liberty in North Korea) in my first year of high school. The Model United Nation conferences have made me aware of the current problems in the world that are still not resolved. To fight for my cause, I decided to focus specifically on health-related problems, such as providing solutions for disease epidemics. This year, I helped to establish the Academy Health Organization, a club that focuses on spreading awareness on health-related issues, and assisted in creating partnerships with both Cornell and Northwestern University. I am also currently conducting my own full-year biology research project that can possibly be used to create a cure for Alzheimer's disease in the future. As a member of our Science Olympiad team, I strengthen my scientific knowledge, which I know will be useful to me in the future.

When I first found out about the 2007 UNA-USA National Essay Contest on Maternal Health, I was so excited because I finally could write about a topic that I loved. As I spent more than five months looking through sources, I realized how little had been done in the past to decrease maternal mortalities. Because of this, I wanted to write a convincing essay that would emphasize to professionals and leaders in the world that dedication is lacking in solving one of the easiest–yet the most devastating–problems.

For this essay contest, I had to write a letter to the President (no more than 1,500 words) providing him with possible ways in which the United States can help improve maternal health. The organization also asked me for recommendations that can be used by the international community to fulfill the U.N. Millennium Development Goals by 2015. In order to tackle the questions, I decided to break down my research. First, I researched about the international community and general information about the Millennium Development Goals. Then, I offered important statistics that showed how greatly the issue of maternal health was affecting citizens in all nations–especially Africa. After, I wrote about past solutions that the United States and private organizations have implemented. Using this as a basis, I gave my own suggestions for the economic and social perspectives.

After my award speech at the United Nations, I decided to donate the $3,000 back to UNA-USA so this organization could fund programs in African nations that deal specifically with maternal health. In the near future, I also hope to attend a program in Kenya sponsored by UNICEF that focuses on improving the conditions of the citizens there.