October 25, 2004
Carolina International School Hosts Delegates from 13 Nations
Oct. 29 visit to Cabarrus County’s new public charter school
aims to deepen understanding of world cultures and community
HARRISBURG, N.C. — Representatives of 13 different nations will visit Carolina International School (CIS) Oct. 29 as part of a program coordinated by the U.S. State Department and International House, a Charlotte, N.C.-based nonprofit organization that promotes cross-cultural communication and understanding.
The 13-member delegation includes educators, government officials and youth leadership advocates from Algeria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Botswana, Cameroon, Iraq, Laos, Malaysia, Montenegro, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa, Thailand and Uganda. The group will be accompanied by two English-language officers from the U.S. State Department.
“This visit is a tremendous opportunity for our students to engage in face-to-face dialogue with diverse people from around the globe,” said CIS director Dr. Richard Beall. “It’s one of many ways we plan to open a window on the world and reinforce our unique focus on international community and citizenship.”
The Oct. 29 event will begin with a 30-minute welcoming assembly featuring performances by the CIS choir and the school’s third-grade class. Each delegate will then greet the assembled students in his or her native language before splitting into teams of three to visit the sixth and seventh grade classrooms for an exchange of ideas and information about culture, education and youth leadership. The delegates will conclude their visit to the school by meeting with the K-5 classes. On the evening of Oct. 29, the delegates will be entertained at two area restaurants by volunteer CIS families.
During their five-day stay in the Charlotte area, the delegation will also visit a number of other educational and cultural institutions to explore the role of schools, civic organizations and community-based groups in promoting youth leadership. These visits are part of a three-week tour that ends in mid-November.
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Carolina International School is a new North Carolina public charter school offering grades K-7 and adding a grade each year to offer a full K-12 education. The school’s mission is to nurture students’ natural curiosity and joy of learning while they achieve academic excellence through a challenging, interdisciplinary, international curriculum. For more information, visit the Carolina International School Web site at http://www.carolinainternationalschool.org.
