by Lucas Basham, 24岁，突发新闻编辑 多边形

Three Poly seniors will travel abroad this May as part of the inaugural edition of the 全球研究与语言学者 程序. 这个项目, which was announced in an email to Grade 12 families from 世界语言 Department Chair 莉兹曼斯菲尔德 和历史老师 蒂姆·谢伊 在12月, would send four seniors at the highest level of their language on a fully funded two-three week trip to either France, 西班牙, 哥斯达黎加, 或新加坡. 学生将住在寄宿家庭, 每天至少上四个小时的语言课, and complete their Senior 顶石 project research on a topic in the target language.

曼斯菲尔德说:“它不像一个筒仓里的语言. “It’s language for life, for the purpose of learning about other cultures…” 埃拉·里尔·耶林顿，24岁, 谁要去法国旅游, 呼应了这一观点, “这个项目 is such an incredible opportunity and I’m looking forward to improving my French skills while exploring the city and researching my topic. Being in France will definitely put my French conversational skills to the test, and I think it will be interesting to see how well seven years of language classes have prepared me.” Adam Ellozy, 24岁 他也将在5月份在巴黎学习.

目前, Poly has run curricular travel trips where students travel with faculty to Italy, 墨西哥, 和法国, 在其他地方. 在过去, 保利有交流项目, including an exchange 程序 in Argentina that lasted from 1996 to 2013, which ended because it was too much extra work for a single teacher. (Poly didn’t use a travel company then; the teacher booked flights, 组织文件, 并与阿根廷人进行了沟通. 从今年开始, 谢伊也是保利的官方差旅协调员, 并且因为额外的工作而得到额外的补偿. He works on budgeting and communication with travel companies.)

这一次，高年级学生将穿越 教育的第一:海外语言, a company with ‘language campuses’ all over the world with the infrastructure for the kind of experience Mansfield was looking for. “I wanted the ability to make everything easier [than in the past]. I called 教育的第一 up and I told them what I wanted, and they said, ‘no problem’.”

“I jumped at the opportunity to apply for the 全球研究与语言学者 程序,” said Yerington因为我一直梦想着回到巴黎. My proposal is about the recent immigration bill passed by Macron and its effects on current and prospective immigrants in France. 另外, I will be researching how this bill connects to France’s long history with immigration and racial tensions.”

本·皮奎特24岁, 谁一直想出国留学, will be heading to Barcelona and immersing himself in Spanish culture. “我的终极目标是调查国际足联的腐败问题，”他说. “Everyone I’ve talked to said it’s a really great city and it’s one of the centers for world [soccer]…” 的 idea that Poly is piloting this 程序 has also impressed him. “I feel like the World Language department is reaching new levels… It’s great that the school offers to fly out a student for three weeks to study and research independently; it’s definitely not something that a high school would typically do.” 的 idea of living with a host family is intriguing to Piquet. “I’ve never had the experience of living with a host family, so that will be great.” He added, “Studying four hours of Spanish every day might be challenging.”

Next year, the 程序s will identify themselves more separate from one another. 的 Global Studies 程序, headed by Shea, will be a portfolio- based 程序. It aims to direct students’ studies in a specific direction throughout high school: if given the freedom by their teachers, 学生的项目, 论文, and other assignments through Grades 10 to 12 will be centered around a specific topic within the realm of global studies. Students will also select their courses based on their area of study.

Shea hopes that by the end of Grade 9, students begin to think about their portfolio of work. 然后, 到10年级结束的时候, students will submit a preliminary portfolio in which they say, “好吧, I did this research paper in an elective history class in the spring of my 10th grade year. 我还组建了一个服务学习团队, 在我的西班牙语课上, 我一直在探索这个问题,’”谢伊说. “Let’s say they’re thinking about immigration, and they’re very interested in that. We will advise them at the end of the 10th grade year to start to configure their projects in their classes around projects that have to do with immigration.”

作为大四学生, the student will present their capstone project based on the portfolio they’ve developed over three years.

的 Language Scholars 程序 is the next and last step in the Global Studies 程序. “的se are the kids who not only are involved in the Global Studies 程序, 但谁想完善自己的语言技能, 谁是顶尖的语言学者,曼斯菲尔德说. “[的 Language Scholars 程序] is the pinnacle of our Global Studies 程序. 学生将是走向世界的人, 做研究, 研究语言的, 然后再回来出席,谢伊说。.

“I don’t want it to be something where it’s an extra class, 你要在哪里上这门课, 不然你就得去上那门课. I want it to be more like you’re interested in something…and you’re thinking about how you can learn more about that particular topic in class,谢伊补充道。.

这个项目s come at a time where New York City is receiving an influx of migrants, 世界上正在发生两场大战, 国际权力格局正在发生变化. “It doesn’t feel right to keep ourselves limited in the city, in the United States,谢伊说。. “If we’re looking at measures to mitigate climate change on the coastline here in New York, we could also be interested in solutions that are being created in other places around the world, 在社会, 在文化, in histories of places around the world that may also be experiencing that same 问题.”

注意: 本文最初发表于 的 多边形2024年1月/ 2月 问题.