BRINGING THE WORLD TO HENRY COUNTY International student program launched at Creekside Christian.

by MIKE

Dr. Rodney “Rocky” Clark, the head of school at Creekside Christian Academy, and his wife Becky have launched an international student program at the school this year. They launched similar programs at two other schools and have been preparing this launch for several years. There are currently three international students enrolled at Creekside Christian: Ummi, a 10th-grader from Kenya; Cedric, a 10th-grader from Sweden; and Paul, a 12th-grader from France.

“We intentionally started small for this first year,” said Rodney. “We wanted to make sure we could meet the needs of the students and let our teachers adjust.”

The main goals for the program are for it to be an enhancement for the school and students and for the international students to receive a Christian education and be able to spread the Gospel upon their return home.

The students all live with host families for the duration of the school year and have been engaging in various activities and trips with their host families and newfound friends.

“All three students got involved right away,” said Becky. “They all attended the homecoming dance and there have been different trips throughout Atlanta, as well as to Disney World and Universal Studios.”

Paul, the senior, has even gone on some college trips and hopes to stay in the United States for his secondary education. International students can be found in a number of different ways. Sometimes there is a personal connection, where someone knows a high school aged student in another country who is looking for an opportunity like this. Other times there are agencies or government programs looking to connect students with schools. Once a student is selected, the school looks for families within the school or at local churches willing to take the student. The host family receives a stipend to provide food and experiences and the student is basically part of the family for the year.

The international student program at Creekside Christian Academy will continue to grow and the Clarks are excited for how it will enrich both the international students and the ones from Georgia.