Global Citizenship

Sometimes worlds that seem so different than our own have the power to teach us more about human nature—and ourselves in general—than home ever could."
–Fiona H., 8th grade student 

We Are Educating Citizens of the World

We believe that it is important for children to recognize the ethnic and cultural diversity of our world. We are preparing them to be citizens of a global society.

In our Global Studies program, we begin with the local and expand to the world. Our goal is to help our students understand and appreciate their own and other cultures and act responsibly and respectfully with people different from ourselves. The multicultural emphasis is prevalent throughout the school and culminates in the 8th grade global field study, a month-long journey to a non-Western country.

Global Field Study: A Four-week Journey Like No Other

The goal of the field study component of the program is to move students from intellectual comprehension to experiential understanding of a people and a culture different from their own. During this four-week immersion into another culture, students will see the common humanity of people amidst cultural diversities in the world. Likewise, they will put what they have learned in their advisor classes into action as they grow to trust one another and to bond as a group.

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Our 8th grade students spend the year immersed in the economics, history, current events, arts, literature and culture of the chosen non-Western country. Through readings, class discussions, guest speakers, and field trips, students examine the nuances of a culture and begin to understand their own culture more fully. Assignments are tailored to have direct application to the trip as students learn the country's native language and compile individual research reports into a guidebook.

While experiencing the sights and culture during their travels, students receive lessons from local artisans, meet pen pals, and participate in community service activities. Upon their return, they share their experiences with the entire Evergreen community through a compilation journal, narrated slide show and exhibits.