care about . . . Kathmandu, Nepal
Travel! Last summer I traveled to Thailand and had the trip
Location of the
of a lifetime. I loved learning the language, volunteering at a
Amagar Children’s
Global education is a lot more than a trendy “add-on” at Head-Royce. It’s integral
the awesome Thai massage. I absolutely loved every part of
School students
the trip, and in the end, I didn’t want to leave! 11th grader
can volunteer when
to what we teach and how we teach it, whom we invite to visit our campus
they’re not canoeing, riding elephants
and where we send our students to experience new perspectives. It’s a realiza-
or trying to spot
tion that each of us is a full-fledged member of a global network, and that how
rhinoceros at Chitwan
Corsica
National Park.
One of the 26 regions of France, and a
we choose to participate as individuals, groups and nations affects all of the
destination for Middle School students
other members. It requires a deep appreciation and acceptance of cultures and
on a summer travel and study program.
people around the globe.
France, Spain, Italy, China
Agra, India
Through the
Oakland, CA
Location of the Taj Mahal, a
School Year Abroad
Stateside launching pad OAKLAND
home for the elderly, participating in a monk chat and getting
Home where Upper
stopping point on the tour
Consortium, Head-
for global education at
of Upper School students
Royce high school
Head-Royce.
who initiated an exchange
juniors can spend
Cuernavaca, Mexico Lower School students
a full year living
stayed with host fami-
and studying in
lies here as part of their
another country
Mexican expedition.
while earning
program with girls from the Pardada Pardadi girls school. A few months later, students from Pardada visited Head-Royce.
graduation credits.
Beijing, China
Shanghai, China
Upper School students at-
Head-Royce has estab-
tended the Peking Opera
lished a partnership and
and visited the Forbidden
exchange program with
City during their travel/
the Shanghai Children’s
study program to China
Palace.
and Thailand. While in China, they also visited the Great Wall and the natural panda preserve at Wolong.
Pucará, Ecuador A village visited by Middle Schoolers
Chiang Mai, Thailand
South Africa
who engaged in construction work on a
Another of Head-
The Colla Voce chorus group visited South Africa
summer cultural exchange and service
Royce’s partnerships is
during summer 2012 for two weeks after a year of
learning trip. Adventures included
with the Prince Royal
studying African rhythms and music. Highlights
hiking at high altitudes, bargaining in
College. We host teach-
included exchanging songs with the choir at Oprah
Spanish at an open air market and
ers and students from
Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, learning
touring the capital city of Quito.
Chiang Mai during the
about apartheid in Soweto and visiting Robben
school year, and our
Island, where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for
kids visit there during
18 of the 27 years he was in prison.
From planetary geology to Japanese literature
Beginners lessons
Exchanging viewpoints
to global population studies, our curriculum is full of pathways to take kids
Even our youngest students begin to develop a gen-
The partnerships that we have developed with
“At dinner, one of the girls turned to my mother
uine, in-depth understanding of other world cul-
schools in Asia enable our students to make mean-
and asked, ‘If your parents and your children were
beyond the world of Oakland, Calif. We are proud to be the only independent
tures. For example, they start their studies of the
ingful connections with kids and teachers from
both in the water drowning, who would you try to
school in the Bay Area to offer four languages: Spanish, French, Latin and
language and culture of Spanish and French speak-
other cultures—to see things from a completely
save first?’ My mother thought for a long time and
Chinese. Head-Royce families have hosted students from China, Spain, India
ing countries in second grade. In third and fourth
different perspective.
and Vietnam. We seek out the best study-abroad programs and organize opportunities for students to travel internationally, try out their world language skills and engage in community service projects. Grants and financial aid are available so that any Head-Royce student with a desire to explore can do it.
finally answered, ‘My children—they are the future
Bangkok, Thailand
grades, they create traditional Mexican-style masks
The summer after Abigail’s freshman year, she
and they have their whole lives ahead of them.’
Thailand’s capital city, where students saw
and learn about the paintings of Frida Kahlo. This
traveled with the Head-Royce contingent to China
Our visitors looked at each other with surprise, and
the Grand Palace and met the monks of
introduction to Mexican culture culminates in a
and Thailand. In China, she says, “We were lucky
then told us that their own parents would choose to
Wat Pho Buddhist temple.
summer travel opportunity in which faculty lead a
enough to have a buddy to show us around. This
save their parents—not their children. Now it was
group of fifth and sixth graders on a tour through
was my favorite part of the trip because you got to
my turn to be surprised. I realized that the sense of
Cuernavaca and Mexico City. Each experience ex-
live the life of someone your age in another coun-
duty one feels for one’s parents is very different in
pands and builds upon the previous one.
try. I realized that we were much more similar than
the Chinese culture.
I could have imagined.”
had visited. She decided to be a host and give the
“The question caught us all off guard and made us think about the differences in lifestyles, cultures and perspectives around the world.” And that’s exactly what global educa-
students an experience that was “just as great as
tion at Head-Royce is all about.
That fall, Head-Royce welcomed a group of students from the same Chinese school Abigail
18
the summer.
mine.” One conversation stands out in her mind
Abigail with
as the moment where she gained a flash of insight
her Chinese
into the Chinese way of seeing the world.
host family 19