Way to Go: Domenico Pietromonaco and Jay Shah, New Hyde Park

Two New Hyde Park students with a passion for politics have been selected to a prestigious national team.

Domenico Pietromonaco and Jay Shah, seniors at New Hyde Park Memorial High School, have been named to the all-American Model United Nations Team participating at the Yale Model United Nations Korea Conference in South Korea May 22-24.

The pair are among 15 high schoolers nationwide selected.

"I didn't expect it at all," Shah, 17, said of being selected. Of Model UN's importance, he said: "Most students at this age don't understand what's going on in the world, and this helps."

Pietromonaco added, "Model UN can also help students develop who they are as people."

The conference, which will comprise hundreds of student delegates from across the globe, is said to use a "western Model UN approach" that focuses on in-committee cooperation and builds critical thinking skills, school officials said. Students must have at least of one year of Model UN experience and must have participated in at least two conferences.

The two students are deciding whether to attend the Korea conference, which could see expenses exceed $5,000 each, they said.

"It's hard to keep track of all they do," Principal Richard Faccio said. "I think we'll be seeing a lot of them in the future." Pietromonaco is president of his school's Model UN and Italian Club, while Shah is class valedictorian, a drum major and a member of Student Council.