Ozark City Schools Receives Award for Thinking Globally

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Posted by: Matt Boster
Date: May 10 2012 8:33 AM

Ozark, AL May 09, 2012 -- Ozark City Schools recently received a Global Education Excellence Award for being an internationally minded school system. The award, which is given by EF Foundation for Foreign Study, recognizes school systems that actively participate in cultural exchange programs and provide educational opportunities for their students to gain global perspectives. This year, Carroll High School hosted three foreign exchange students: Andi Sigl (Germany), Esther Tang (Hong Kong), and Francesco Serra di Santa Maria (Italy).

 

These students have actively engaged their classmates at CHS and have also had the opportunity to serve as guest speakers at Mixon Elementary and Lisenby Elementary. “Having the exchange students speak to my class was a wonderful experience. My students had so many questions for them and I could just see the wheels turning in their heads” said Peggy Sonanstine, a 5th grade teacher at Lisenby Elementary. Phillip Tyson Reed, a teacher at CHS and local coordinator for EF Foundation, stated, “Our exchange students add a new dimension to the classroom and to our campus. Their presence has caused our students to be aware of other cultures and has encouraged many to be more global in their thinking.” He added, “As a school system, it is our job to prepare our students for success in the real world and the real world is full of different cultures that our students must learn to engage. I am proud to be part of a system that recognizes this and is willing to take an active part in this cultural exchange program.”

 

Reed notes that the program is looking to expand in our area and already has spots available and several other area schools. “We just need willing and qualified host families to host these amazing students.” If you would like more information on how you can become a host family, please call Mr. Reed at (334) 237-3994 or go to www.effoundation.org.

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