• International Programs

     

    Marlborough’s Global Learning Community - Host families needed!

    Through our partnership with the Cambridge Institute of International Education, seven international students enrolled at Marlborough High School for the 2015-16 academic year as part of the school district’s global education program. This exciting initiative resulted in a positive educational and cultural experience for MHS and the community.

    The admission process for the 2016-17 school year is now open, and we have several students interested in enrollment at MHS. We are working with the Cambridge Institute’s gphomestay to find host families for these students. If you are interested in making a positive impact on the life of an international student, please consider becoming a host family!

    A host family provides an exchange student with three meals a day, a private furnished room, and a safe and nurturing environment. Around-the-clock support is provided from a local residential coordinator to help with meeting students upon arrival, keeping host families connected with the school community, and mediating issues should they arise. Families of all types, ethnicities, backgrounds and sizes are welcome as host families.

    A generous stipend of $1,000 per month is provided to offset the costs of hosting. Families of all types, ethnicities, backgrounds and sizes are welcome.

    Interested families can submit fill out an application at www.gphomestay.com/application.html or send inquiries to Julie Rowe at jrowecollins@gphomestay.com or call (781) 996-0429.

     

     

    MHS receives U.S. Department of State recognition

    In November 2014, Marlborough High School was presented with a certificate of appreciation by the U.S. Department of State for its participation in the department’s international Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program. YES exchange student and junior Hala Rashini, who attended MHS for the school year year from Beirut, Lebanon, was on hand for the presentation and to talk about her experiences at MHS.

    Rashini is one of 43,000 applicants who applied to and 1,800 who were accepted into the State Department program for the 2014-15 school year. As a YES participant, Rashini is charged with sharing information about her culture with as many individuals and groups as possible, as well as learning about U.S. culture on behalf of her country.

    Shown at the presentation are Blanca Ruebensaal, from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Office of Citizen Exchanges, AFS representative Jody Pongratz, Hala Rashini, and MHS Assistant Principal Robert Fitzgerald.

     

     

    Educational Exchange Visit

    From April 13 to April 27, 2014 MPS International Programs Coordinator Christopher Hottel trekked to Beijing, Shijiazhuang in Hebei Province, and Shanghai on an educational exchange visit representing Marlborough Public Schools. The visit was sponsored by the Cambridge Institute of International Education, which is assisting Marlborough schools in welcoming Chinese exchange students to MPS. To view his trip blog – which includes links to videos and photos – visit http://mps-china-exchange.blogspot.com.

     

    Global Education Programs Presentation

    At the May 13 School Committee meeting, Hottel gave a presentation about his trip and Marlborough's global education programs. To view the presentation, click here.

     

    Student Trip Presentation

    Also at the May 13 School Committee meeting, MHS Mandarin Chinese teacher Xiaoshu Jing, MHS English teacher Karen Bento, and students Alexandra Ren, Hannah Mackay and Suhani Bhatia gave a presentation about the trip from the teacher/student perspective. Photos of them during the presentation are below. To view their presentation, click here.

     

     

    Chinese students visit Marlborough

    During the week of March 24, 2014 Marlborough High School hosted 10 Chinese students for six days as part of the Cambridge Institute of International Education. The tenth-graders shadowed MHS students, attended classes, and participated in activities to learn about American culture and share theirs with MHS.

    A video compiled by MHS Mandarin Chinese Teacher Xiaoshu Jing highlights the week of experiences, which included a visit to Boston to experience the sights and sounds of the city.

    Last fall, MHS applied to be a host school for international students, and the application was approved. Participation in the institute will bring wonderful perspectives to the school and will help MPS students increase their global knowledge as well as share the wonderful educational opportunities available in our schools. We hope this visit will lead to enrollment by international students at MHS and will facilitate the creation of a truly global community in the Marlborough schools.

    We thank the MHS staff who worked to make this opportunity possible and especially our host families for their hospitality!

     

     

    Costa Rica

    Experiencing other environments was the focus of a 2014 spring break trip for a dozen Marlborough High School students. Led by AP Biology teacher Melissa Ramos, the students and chaperones trekked to Costa Rica, where they encountered and examined unusual plant and animal species, interacted with the residents, explored Costa Rica’s various regions, and survived an unpleasant encounter with a family of spiders. Below are photos of the Ramos and students Olivia Servaes and Ashley Smalls giving a presentation about their trip at the May 13, 2014 School Committee meeting. Attached is their presentation, which includes examples of how the trip ties into the science curriculum and aligns with the state’s high school life science standards.

     

     

    Bridges to Malawi

    Marlborough High School senior Ella Isaacson and junior Mark Tawadrous traveled to Malawi on a medical mission for two weeks in March 2014 and part of our Bridges to Malawi partnership with Dr. Brian Lisse and Tufts Medical School.

    Shown at right are Isaacson and Tawadrous giving a presentation about their trip at the April 29 School Committee meeting. To view their presentation, click here.

     

     

    Akiruno Student Exchange Program

    Whitcomb Middle School has had a long-standing relationship with Japan’s Akiruno City. Each fall, Whitcomb students travel to Akiruno to stay with host families, attend school, and learn about Japan’s heritage and culture. Then, Akiruno students visit Marlborough, staying with host families, attending classes with their Whitcomb host students, and learning more about Marlborough and the United States.

    On Nov. 3, 2014, Whitcomb Middle School welcomed students and their chaperones from Akiruno, Japan for this year’s student exchange program. This marks the 20th year the two cities have exchanged students and shared cultures. Attendees at the Nov. 3 ceremony were treated to a special musical performance by the Akiruno students and chaperones and their Whitcomb hosts. Below is a slideshow with highlights of the ceremony.

    On Feb. 11, 2014, the students who visited Akiruno in October 2013 gave a presentation to School Committee about their visit and the importance of the relationship with the school’s sister city. Below are some snapshots of the Akiruno student welcome ceremony at Whitcomb Oct. 31 as well as photos of the Whitcomb students’ presentation to School Committee. To view the entire School Committee presentation, click here.