08-13-2023 Back to School - Flipbook - Page 8
8 A Special Advertising Section of Baltimore Sun Media Group | Sunday, August 13, 2023
Students Come to Maryland From Faraway Places
By Gregory J. Alexander, Contributing Writer
T
raveling abroad can open your eyes to
new cultures and ways of life, which is
an enriching experience for anyone,
regardless of age. Now imagine the
benefits for a child or young adult attending
school right here in Maryland alongside students from China, Ghana, The Congo or other
faraway places.
“Most independent schools pride themselves on diversity, and international students
foster a diverse campus environment and bring
different perspectives to the classroom,” says
Karen Wootton, director of admissions and
financial aid at Glenelg Country School, a coeducational, independent school in Howard
County for students 2 years old through grade
12. “Our students develop an appreciation for
other backgrounds and a deepened understanding of the world,” says Wootton of having
international students come to Glenelg. She
adds that international students bring academic, athletic and artistic talent to the classroom,
along with a strong work ethic that raises the
bar for all students.
Wootton says that the school plans special
activities and field trips to introduce international students to America, while also having
festivals such as an Asian New Year celebration
with a big buffet of Asian food to celebrate that
holiday.
Ruthie Kalvar, director of admission at
The Park School of Baltimore, a non-sectarian, independent, co-educational day school
for grades pre-kindergarten through 12, says
that “learning at Park involves listening to and
working with others, considering and embracing different points of view, and empathizing
with and understanding multiple perspectives.
This learning happens best in an authentically
diverse context, and it is through this lens that
we embrace international students – welcoming
the diverse experiences and views they bring to
our community, and simultaneously equipping
those students with new points of view that
they will bring to their home cultures.”
Kalvar says that all students benefit from
the experiences, traditions, cultures and backgrounds that international students bring.
“Because of the collaborative nature of our
programming, our domestic students and international students learn from each other,
valuing diverse perspectives within the learning process, on sports teams, through the arts
and socially.”
Carl Patton, principal at The John Carroll
School, a coeducational, independent Catholic high school in northeastern Maryland, says
that some of their international students come
to John Carroll from very difficult backgrounds
from countries such as Sudan, The Congo and
Ukraine. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for them
to be in a terrific learning environment with
tremendous teachers. Plus, they get to see our
culture and share theirs with us,” he says. He
says that due to the school’s proximity to Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia,
there are lots of cultural experiences to share
with international students that highlights
American history.
He also cites an example of a student from
China who met a local student who knew Mandarin. The two became very close and bonded
over their shared interest in the language.
Park’s Kalvar says that her school offers a
wide range of affinity groups that sponsor and
host a variety of cultural events and experiences
for all students. “Additionally, some academic
classes and clubs lead trips to various parts of
Above: Glenelg Country School says that about 90% of its international students stay in the U.S. to attend college.
the U.S., Central America, Europe and Asia,”
she says.
Wootton says that international students
at Glenelg receive a strong education, critical
thinking skills, the ability for self-expression,
and the opportunity to partake in extracurricular activities. “Plus, it’s a great pathway to attend
college in the U.S., as about 90% of our international students stay in the U.S. to attend college.” John Carroll’s Patton concurs that most of
their students attend U.S. colleges, including a
student from The Congo who will attend Yale
University this fall.
“International applicants to Park are seeking an immersive experience, both inside and
outside the classroom. They are looking not
only to be embraced by a community that will
allow them to continue to perfect their English
reading, writing, listening and speaking skills,
but also one that will challenge them to think,
collaborate and share their views with others,”
says Kalvar. “Our discussion-based classrooms,
led by inspiring faculty, provide international
students with a truly interactive and immersive
experience. And of course, international students are drawn to our 100-acre campus, which
they experience as a classroom as well.”
Of course, when students from other countries come to attend school in Maryland, they
need to a place to live. Kalvar says that Park
prefers that international students are hosted by
Park-affiliated families, “as we believe that connection helps build community and provides
support at home outside the classroom.”
Glenelg’s Wootton says that some students
already have family or friends in Maryland,
so they stay with them, while a few secure a
host family through an independent agency,
although she says that she sees less and less of
that of late. “We also can reach out to our Glenelg community to see if a family wants to host
an international student,” says Wootton, who
adds that an international student living with
a current local Glenelg student can provide an
enriching experience for all.
Wootton says that Glenelg has had students
from England, Turkey, Brazil, Kenya, Ghana
and China, noting that more and more students
are arriving from China lately.
“Many of our local parents cannot imagine
sending their kids abroad at a young age, but
our international families recognize and appreciate the value of a strong education that
may not be available in their home country,”
Wootton says.