In November of 2010, Global Indiana’s proposal for the Eighth Grade Odyssey program was selected as a “Top Ten Program” by the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy. Executive Director Phil Boley and President-elect Mary Ann Dewan traveled to Washington D.C. to operate a booth at the U.S. Summit and Initiative for Global Citizen Diplomacy. Phil also gave a brief presentation at each of two break-out sessions at the conference.
The Eighth Grade Odyssey is a proposal for which GI is seeking funding. A modified version may come to fruition if the right sponsorship is secured.
This program will identify talented 13 to 14-year old individuals for global training and international travel. Statistics gathered by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel reveal that American students outbound for long term exchanges are outnumbered by incoming international students by a factor of more than 14 to 1. American educators know the primary reason for this is the intense involvement of high school students in school-associated extra-curricular activities. By introducing middle school students to international travel, the Global Indiana Consortium will pique the interest of these young leaders and will doubtlessly increase the likelihood they will participate in outbound exchanges as high school students. The summer between the seventh and eighth grade years is the last free summer before student leaders become active in high school athletics and other extra-curricular activities.
In each participating state, the program will solicit nominations from middle level public, private, and charter school social studies and world language teachers. A committee of educators and others involved in global education will identify 30 students based on an application and interview process. Care will be taken to ensure the group reflects the state’s demographic make-up, including minority children and those living in poverty.
The thirty individuals will participate in a four to five-day summer camp experience focusing on leadership, global awareness, cultural sensitivity, and team building. The camp will be staffed by education professionals and college students and will be held in a state park or a YMCA or scout camp facility. Guest speakers may include college faculty, Peace Corps veterans, Foreign Service professionals, and representatives from exchange organizations. Team building activities will include exercises to improve communication skills, provide problem solving ability, enhance decision making, build trust, and increase group rapport. The participants will also be introduced to myriad international opportunities available to high school and college students.
Following the camp, students will return home for a weekend to prepare for departure on a three-week cultural immersion experience in selected countries, which will vary by state. Global Indiana and the State of Indiana currently have exchange agreements and/or viable contacts with the following countries: China, France, Germany, Ghana, Lithuania, Mexico, Morocco, Russia, and Thailand. As an example, we have enclosed the exchange agreement we have with the Provincial Government of Zhejiang Province in China. The three week excursion will include home stays with screened host families, school visits, trips to historical and cultural sites, and planned interaction with peers in the host countries. Students will be accompanied by educators and college age counselors at a minimum ratio of one to five.
When students return from their experience, they will be expected to prepare presentations for delivery to their classmates, to adult organizations, and to other schools. Their enthusiasm will be infectious and will encourage other students to become involved in globally oriented activities. The program will incorporate follow-up activities to ensure the continuation of enthusiasm. A possibility would be a holiday reunion for the participants for them to get reacquainted and to reinforce the global awareness introduced the previous summer. Veterans of the E-G-O program will have an advantage over other students who compete for admissions into selective colleges and universities, and will have an added measure of leadership and maturity to benefit them during their secondary school experience.
By exposing top students to global awareness training and international travel, E-G-O will likely increase the number of outbound exchange students, add to the number of young people with awareness of the world around them either directly or through contact with an Odyssey veteran, and expand the potential for future study abroad, gap year experiences, and other international activities. With additional funding, it is possible that veterans could be sponsored as outbound exchange students after their sophomore or junior year.
Global Indiana proposes a pilot program in our home state to work out details and to create a replicable model for use elsewhere in the nation. This initial program could be in operation as early as March of 2011. While GI does not currently have the capacity to operate a nationwide program, the pilot will help us determine our personnel needs for program replication. GI is currently in negotiations for corporate and foundation support to enable the board to hire a full-time executive director. This will enhance our ability to perform the needed infrastructure work to make the operation of Eighth Grade Odyssey viable. Even if these negotiations are not successful (and we believe they will be) we still have the volunteer capacity to operate an Indiana-based program.
We hope to secure a corporate sponsor; i.e. The (Sponsoring Company’s Name) Eighth Grade Odyssey, but currently, the only resources we can offer include office space, communication and technology equipment, and volunteer commitment. Global Indiana is operated by a group of individuals who have been leaders in their fields and who are determined to make a difference in the lives of young people. Their experience and leadership assures program success if funding becomes available.
The Eighth Grade Odyssey is a proposal for which GI is seeking funding. A modified version may come to fruition if the right sponsorship is secured.
This program will identify talented 13 to 14-year old individuals for global training and international travel. Statistics gathered by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel reveal that American students outbound for long term exchanges are outnumbered by incoming international students by a factor of more than 14 to 1. American educators know the primary reason for this is the intense involvement of high school students in school-associated extra-curricular activities. By introducing middle school students to international travel, the Global Indiana Consortium will pique the interest of these young leaders and will doubtlessly increase the likelihood they will participate in outbound exchanges as high school students. The summer between the seventh and eighth grade years is the last free summer before student leaders become active in high school athletics and other extra-curricular activities.
In each participating state, the program will solicit nominations from middle level public, private, and charter school social studies and world language teachers. A committee of educators and others involved in global education will identify 30 students based on an application and interview process. Care will be taken to ensure the group reflects the state’s demographic make-up, including minority children and those living in poverty.
The thirty individuals will participate in a four to five-day summer camp experience focusing on leadership, global awareness, cultural sensitivity, and team building. The camp will be staffed by education professionals and college students and will be held in a state park or a YMCA or scout camp facility. Guest speakers may include college faculty, Peace Corps veterans, Foreign Service professionals, and representatives from exchange organizations. Team building activities will include exercises to improve communication skills, provide problem solving ability, enhance decision making, build trust, and increase group rapport. The participants will also be introduced to myriad international opportunities available to high school and college students.
Following the camp, students will return home for a weekend to prepare for departure on a three-week cultural immersion experience in selected countries, which will vary by state. Global Indiana and the State of Indiana currently have exchange agreements and/or viable contacts with the following countries: China, France, Germany, Ghana, Lithuania, Mexico, Morocco, Russia, and Thailand. As an example, we have enclosed the exchange agreement we have with the Provincial Government of Zhejiang Province in China. The three week excursion will include home stays with screened host families, school visits, trips to historical and cultural sites, and planned interaction with peers in the host countries. Students will be accompanied by educators and college age counselors at a minimum ratio of one to five.
When students return from their experience, they will be expected to prepare presentations for delivery to their classmates, to adult organizations, and to other schools. Their enthusiasm will be infectious and will encourage other students to become involved in globally oriented activities. The program will incorporate follow-up activities to ensure the continuation of enthusiasm. A possibility would be a holiday reunion for the participants for them to get reacquainted and to reinforce the global awareness introduced the previous summer. Veterans of the E-G-O program will have an advantage over other students who compete for admissions into selective colleges and universities, and will have an added measure of leadership and maturity to benefit them during their secondary school experience.
By exposing top students to global awareness training and international travel, E-G-O will likely increase the number of outbound exchange students, add to the number of young people with awareness of the world around them either directly or through contact with an Odyssey veteran, and expand the potential for future study abroad, gap year experiences, and other international activities. With additional funding, it is possible that veterans could be sponsored as outbound exchange students after their sophomore or junior year.
Global Indiana proposes a pilot program in our home state to work out details and to create a replicable model for use elsewhere in the nation. This initial program could be in operation as early as March of 2011. While GI does not currently have the capacity to operate a nationwide program, the pilot will help us determine our personnel needs for program replication. GI is currently in negotiations for corporate and foundation support to enable the board to hire a full-time executive director. This will enhance our ability to perform the needed infrastructure work to make the operation of Eighth Grade Odyssey viable. Even if these negotiations are not successful (and we believe they will be) we still have the volunteer capacity to operate an Indiana-based program.
We hope to secure a corporate sponsor; i.e. The (Sponsoring Company’s Name) Eighth Grade Odyssey, but currently, the only resources we can offer include office space, communication and technology equipment, and volunteer commitment. Global Indiana is operated by a group of individuals who have been leaders in their fields and who are determined to make a difference in the lives of young people. Their experience and leadership assures program success if funding becomes available.