Global Updates From World View

March 2004

“This journey is a mere ninety days, and suddenly everything seems possible.”

--Anna Bondarenko, Fall '02

Recently, I had coffee with a parent of a GlobalQuest alumnus. His passion for the program was palpable in his flailing arms and articulate speech. He insisted that we have an obligation to reach more students, to raise more compassionate and globally aware young people through immersion programs such as GlobalQuest. He has demanded that his son do his part in sharing this life-changing opportunity with other potential participants. I hope that you will do the same in spreading the word. The following is a testament to the impact of this experience:

“I found a large part of myself in Thailand . Thailand was the place/experience in which I matured more than at any other point of high school. Without that experience, I would have gone to college a much different person—one without as much sympathy and love for myself and for strangers. Thailand taught me how to relax, how to reflect and realize my goals, and how to act in order to achieve these goals.” -- Eliza Schrader , New York , NY , Spring '01

Founded in 1999, GlobalQuest seeks to enhance global understanding in an increasingly interconnected world, to address the ineffectiveness of the second semester of the senior year of high school, and to assist those deferring college for a year in solidifying their interests. It is a bold proposition that challenges college-bound teenagers to resist temptations to coast and, instead, to engage a transformative, cross-cultural semester program in Thailand that emphasizes the following:

•  understanding and compassion for foreign customs, ideas and ways of living
•  real-world application of skills learned in high school
•  creation of a dynamic learning community of twelve students and three teachers
•  passion for learning that energizes and prepares students for the college experience

"I've hardly experienced learning for pleasure in an educational setting, and this trip did it for me. I enjoy reading much more now, and I have gained the ability to type a paper without procrastinating. GlobalQuest helped me gain many skills that will help me throughout my schooling years and for the rest of my life.” -- Jacob Schuit, Fall ' 03

What makes GlobalQuest unique is the attempt to turn potentially problematic times into incredible opportunities—the second semester of the senior year of high school and the interim year between high school and college. GlobalQuest Executive Director, Tim Ellis, is dedicated to keeping teenagers actively engaged in learning that they may continue on to college with renewed passion and purpose.

On Senior Year of High School
With more and more colleges accepting students “early decision” and “early action” (70% of Scarsdale High School seniors applied early this year), many students know their college plans by the middle of the fall semester. With the pressure off, “senioritis” kicks in… Senior year is a crucial transition time, when students begin to develop a sense of independence and responsibility for their own learning. Far from “tuning out”, students should be wrapping up their senior year with a sense of accomplishment, focusing on interdisciplinary experiences that emphasize hands-on application of the skills learned in high school.

On Interim Year
As Dean of First Year Students at Bowdoin College , Margaret Hazlett asserts, “I wish that we could require all incoming first-year students to take time between high school and college. They arrive on campus with a clearer understanding of why they are there, better focused on what they want from their college experience, and ready to take full advantage of what the College has to offer.” Of course, a student can pack a backpack, buy a “round the world” air ticket, buy a few Lonely Planet Guidebooks, and be off. The reality is that it is difficult to know how to challenge oneself, especially at such an unsettled time of life. GlobalQuest provides the structure in which students can be challenged, but also the freedom to learn in previously inexperienced ways.

Application Information:
We are currently accepting applications for the Fall Semester, 2004 and Spring Semester, 2005.
Fall Semester 2004: September 15-December 8.
Spring Semester 2005: February 23-May 18.
Fall Semester 2005: September 14-December 7.
Scholarships are available. For more information or an application, please e-mail Tim Ellis, tellis@gquest.org, or call 207-443-5451

"This trip has changed the way I perceive the world and myself."

Eliza Schrader, Spring '01

195 Montsweag Rd. · Woolwich, ME 04579 · 207-443-5451 · www.gquest.org