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Dr. Daniel Lutz, Director of the Center
for International Studies (CIS) magnet program at West High School,
announced today the school's selection as one of the top high schools
in the United States and China chosen for The U.S. - China Youth
Exchange, a historic youth exchange program.
A six-person bi-national selection panel reviewed nearly 100 high-quality
applications before meeting in New York on August 16 to select and
rank U.S. and Chinese school partners.
West High School was ranked #2 out of 25 chosen and was placed in
the top of three groups, Group One. The International Education
and Resource Network, iEARN, will help schools in each group to
begin Internet-based collaboration. Group One, consisting of West
High/Kunming Foreign Language School and six other partner schools
will conduct the reciprocal exchange beginning in 2002.
The first steps in the Exchange will be the selection and development
of a theme for collaboration. Next, students will organize an "action
project" in the schools' communities, which will involve Park
Hill Elementary School and Rishel Middle School.
Plans also include hosting the students and teachers from Kunming,
China in Denver in the spring and West High School students and
teachers traveling to China in the summer of 2002. Nine West High
School students and two educators will be selected to travel to
the partner school.
West High School will be provided funds for airfare, transit per
diem, a small book and cultural allowance through the U.S. State
Department. IEARN will provide an assessment of the school's communications
technology and provide the necessary educational telecommunications
equipment to the school.
Students will construct and maintain a web site that will include
general information about the exchange program, student exchange
reports, links to sites of interest, and highlights of the thematic
exchange activities.
The U.S.-China Youth Exchange purpose is to advance mutual understanding,
support student participation in community affairs, and develop
multi-sector partnerships that serve the need of the schools. According
to iEARN, "Exchanges, both electronic and physical, between
Chinese and U.S. youth will play a pivotal role in building trusting
relationships that will lead to meaningful collaborations in areas
of urban migration, aging populations, waste management, and the
digital divide."
This historic program is underwritten by the U.S. Department of
State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of Citizen
Exchanges, Youth Programs Division and managed by iEARN.
John Yee, Chairman, Denver- Kunming Sister Cities Committee participated
in the application and will be providing support to the Exchange
program.
Founded in 1986 as a Denver Public Schools Magnet Program, the CIS
program allows students to earn a Diploma of International Studies
in addition to a high school diploma. Since that time more than
1,000 high school students -- 81% of which are minority students
-- have been accepted into the program.
"What all these students share is a desire to go beyond the
limits," said Dr. Lutz. "They strive to be in the program,
to succeed in its specific international and intercultural challenges."
The Center for International Studies Foundation is a 501 C (3) not-for
profit organization, established to support the mission of CIS,
"Developing Tomorrow's Global Citizens".
For more information:
Dianna Vigil at 303-394-9720, dvigil1031@aol.com
Dr. Daniel Lutz at 303-620-5364, dlutz3@qwest.net
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