Registration season is finally over, but for those MHS students who signed up for courses that you must apply to, there are still some options yet to be decided. Those who registered for International Studies probably noticed something new this year: Greece International Studies. Since the application for International Studies has not been sent out yet, now is the time to explore this new section of one of the best programs offered here at Minnetonka.
For those who have never done International Studies before, the process goes as follows: you choose a country to ‘register’ for during normal registration season (this is not necessarily the country you will be assigned, however) and then a few weeks later, you will be emailed an application.
Within this application are the usual questions such as what makes you a good candidate and so on. More importantly, you have to choose your top three countries of choice. Even though there’s ‘only’ ten options, it can be overwhelming.
Do you want to partner with a student who natively speaks English? Do you want to partner with a student who speaks the language you’re learning (we partner with schools in Spain, China, and Germany but not France–yet)? Do you want to choose a country based on a possible trip you may go on (most International Studies classes go on a trip annually or every other year)? There are more things to consider than you would think. Plus, the 2017-2018 International Studies students have to decide if they want to participate in a brand new class.
Next year International Studies Greece is launching. This new branch is the product of Ms. Mosiman’s hard work.
Ms. Mosiman is an English teacher here at Minnetonka. She got the idea for Greece IS through two previous students who came to MHS from a school in Athens, Greece. Our school did not have a sister school in the Mediterranean yet, and Greece is at the forefront of important global events such as the refugee crisis, so it seemed like a great country to add to the International Studies program, according to Ms. Mosiman.
Minnetonka High School’s new sister school is the American Community School of Athens. MHS is very fortunate to be partnering with ACS, as they call it, because it’s in a city rich with history, while also being at the center of Greek culture.
Additionally, as the school’s name suggests, it is an international school. This means all the students know English (no need to worry about a language barrier), they offer IB classes that we also have, and their students come from all over the world, meaning that not all of their students are actually Greek. Only about 65% to 70% of their students are fully Greek. This is great because they still can share about Greek culture but also share their native culture. It is like getting 2-in-1. However, if you want to be guaranteed a partner that will know everything and anything about the country you choose, Greece IS is probably not for you.
This past February, ten Junior IB students were chosen to participate in the Greece IS pilot program. They are the guinea pigs meant to determine if ACS really is a good fit for MHS. This is a great way to to get an idea of where the program should go next year. The pilot program is not over for a while still so there is no final consensus yet, but so far it is going well.
International Studies is a unique program that embraces differences in culture. If you’re interested in unfamiliar cultures, traditions, or even languages, all of the International Studies classes are amazing options. Greece is a great opportunity, though. This is the first time the school is offering Greece IS, and it is also the first time that ACS is participating in any sort of program like this. There is so much to be explored and shared.
Of course, if you are considering applying to Greece IS, you probably are wondering the big question: is there going to be a trip? Ms. Mosiman says they cannot guarantee a trip, but no International Studies class ever can.