Terry Meersman and William H. Gates, Sr.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
PO Box 23350
Seattle, WA 98102

Dear Terry Meersman and William H. Gates, Sr.,

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is credited with funding the first annual Washington State Model United Nations (WASMUN) held March 29-31of this year. The World Affairs Council, based in Seattle, presented this event in collaboration with the University of Washington and the Washington State United Nations Foundation. My students and I wanted to send you a thank-you card and personal note of thanks.

I have participated in the coordination of several high school Model United Nations as well as coached students for Washington State University and Clark College Model UN's, but with the funding and coordination of services the WAC coordinated, the Seattle event was the most exhilarating and inspirational event I have ever attended. Thank you so much for your donation to the World Affairs Council/Global Classroom program which made this event so successful.

The University of Washington used to hold state Model UN's, but the event, due to a lack of funding and paid professionals to coordinate all details, died an infamous death with our district banning students from attending. The new event, led by the WAC/Global Classroom, with a grant from your foundation, has re-established a state Model UN that is worthy of national notice (http://seattlep-i.nwsource.com/local/modelun31.shtml) and re-stimulated high school teacher and student interest.

In preparing and participating in WASMUN my students became personally vested in solving world problems, particularly those related to populations suffering from AIDS/HIV. The benefits of student participation in WASMUN are also complementary to the goal of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which is to focus on improving people's lives through health and learning. Hopefully this event will encourage these students to appreciate, support and understand the need for a strong United Nations for years to come.

To help illustrate how grateful we are for your contribution to the first annual Washington State Model United Nations, well coordinated by Nancy Bacon and Brenna Langabeer through your grant to the World Affairs Council/Global Classroom, I am enclosing copies from our school Web site, http://skyview.vansd.org/bquestad/munwasmun.html (always in process) documenting our experience. I am also enclosing the thank you letter I wrote to Nancy and Brenna at WAC so that you will have for your records unbiased and unsolicited documentation of a our critique of the First Annual Washington State Model United Nations made possible with a grant from your foundation.

Thank you from my five Vancouver, Washington students and me, an educator who has been inspired and professionally invigorated by a superbly student-centered, intellectually stimulating, well organized event.

Thank you,

Beverly A. Questad, Ph.D.
Skyview High School English and Debate Teacher

Copies: Nancy Bacon, Brenna Langabeer, Jorge Sebastion Roberts (UW WASMUN Secretary-General) and Gary Cannon (UW Under Secretary-General)