Global Academy Online Course Offerings

Global Academy Continues its

Robust Online Course Offerings

Formed in 2020 to meet specific needs created by COVID-19 constraints, Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart in Lake Forest and Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bellevue, Washington, continue their partnership by offering more of its robust online Sacred Heart Global Academy (SHGA) courses this summer and fall. During its inaugural year, the program featured eight courses grounded in the Sacred Heart mission that provided opportunities for international and domestic students to participate with each other along with teachers from both schools.

This summer, SHGA offered two courses. “Ethics in International Relations” tackled ethical dilemmas in international affairs relating to issues such as human rights, just and unjust wars, poverty, environmental protection, and global governance. Meanwhile, a 9th-grade boot camp welcomed incoming Woodlands Academy and Forest Ridge freshman to the Sacred Heart community.

SHGA’s summer courses were followed by four more in the fall – “Global Photography and Media Studies” and “Hispanic Literature and Culture,’ taught by Woodlands Academy faculty, along with “Comparative Mythology” and “Visual and Verbal, Seen and Felt: Exploring the crossroads of poetics and visual arts,” taught by Forest Ridge faculty. These courses are the first ones available to additional schools in the Sacred Heart’s worldwide network.

Students enrolled in “Hispanic Literature and Culture” build their Spanish language skills while exploring the literature and cultures of Spain, Latin America and U.S. Latinx communities. There is a strong focus on developing intercultural understanding and making connections that will help students gain a deeper appreciation of their own perspectives and place in the world.

“Global Photography and Media Studies” participants refine photography techniques while expanding the knowledge and competence of advanced photographic processes. The course also provides an overview of media studies via screenings, lectures, discussions, and readings.

Those taking “Comparative Mythology” learn about several ancient cultures from around the world and examine how the geography, historical events and cultural values of these civilizations shaped their mythological narratives. As a culminating project for the semester, they will write or produce an original myth or hero story either in print, video, or audio format.

Students explore the “Crossroads of Poetics and Visual Arts” in this fall SHGA course offering. As they learn about ways in which art has inspired poets and writers and how the written word inspires artists, participants will write poems, create visual poetry, and compare similar themes across visual art and verse.

In addition to these courses, SHGA is offering two virtual exchange opportunities through a partnership with sister schools worldwide. “Sacred Heart Global Exchange” gives students a way to develop their global mindset by learning more about other cultures while strengthening their international language skills. Participants meet monthly in small groups with peers from across the global Sacred Heart community. Groups are organized based on the international language their members are studying. “Solidarity and Sustainability” brings students from network schools across North America together monthly to discuss global issues centered around equity, open communication, and the building of community. Sacred Heart Global Academy got its start prior to the 2020-21 term with discussions between the heads of school at Forest Ridge and Woodlands Academy about ways of jointly providing excellent educational opportunities to students unable to attend classes on the campuses of the two all-girls college-prep schools due to the pandemic. During the innovative program’s inaugural run, educators soon discovered a variety of other advantages and benefits to its virtual programming.

More details about SHGA and course registration information are available on the websites of Woodlands Academy, Forest Ridge and the other network schools joining them this fall.

We are providing opportunities for international and domestic students to participate with each other