News Around Campus
First Graders help raise money for The Ronald McDonald House!
Greenville Museum of Art Student Art Exhibit 2/12-3/9
The annual Oakwood Art Show is currently running at the Greenville Museum of Art from February 19 through March 9. All students artwork is currently on display at the museum.
The Oakwood Merit Scholarship Competition
On Saturday, February 18, a limited number of Academic Merit Scholarships were offered to current Oakwood rising 9th graders that are planning to attend The Oakwood Upper School.
Twenty-one students from Oakwood eighth graders and 8th through 11th grade non-Oakwood students were in attendance to compete for the Oakwood Academic Merit Scholarships at any upper school grade.
The scholarships are awarded to winners of the “Oakwood Merit Scholars Competition.” This scholarship is not based on need. Recipients of the award received the grant for the duration of their time in the Upper School as long as they maintain an average grade of at least 80% and are good citizens.
Off Campus Education Week gives Upper School students an incredible opportunity February 26 through March 2nd
Upper School students will soon have the chance to participate in independent studies off campus for a week beginning February 26. Such a unique opportunity allows students to learn outside of the classroom and have direct hands-on experiences.
Destinations include North Carolina colleges/universities, to New York City, Boston, China, Washington D.C. (limited to only 8th graders), or an internship or independent study of their choice.
With financial aid available, students will be able to hit all major attractions within each destination during their trip off campus.
A description from the programs information sheet is as follows:
“Students will spend upward of a week on the activity of their choice — whether it is viewing the Greek temples, speaking Spanish with a native host family, or touring college campuses, students will benefit not only from the application of the Oakwood School’s curriculum, but also from the maturity needed to accomplish a trip of this magnitude.”
Junior Rebecca Rodriguez selected for American Youth Leadership Program in Japan
Notified on January 15th, 2012 of her selection, Rebecca will join 30 other students from around the country and several teachers for the Watershed Project taking place from June 23-July 19th. They will tour several locations in Japan.
A description from the program’s website is as follows:
“The program’s goal is to develop a corps of individuals (both high school students and educators) who are exposed to the people and culture of Japan, and trained to pass on their knowledge to others in their schools and communities. This will be done in the form of developing and implementing activities which address a ‘whole watershed’ approach to ecology; practical exercises which introduce the culture and people of Japan; and, designing and implementing educational and community service projects which apply the lessons learned in Japan to participants’ schools and local communities.
The program will have three distinct periods:
Virtual collaboration that helps participants to learn to work together on projects, and which provides an opportunity to become oriented to Japan, watershed management and project management and implementation (February – June, 2012)
A pre-departure orientation that prepares participants for a three-week experience in Japan including the Tokyo, Mt. Fuji and the Izu Peninsula. (June 23th – July 19th, 2012)
Post-program implementation of education and service projects which highlight the learning that took place in the program (July 2012 – April 2013)
Specifically, the areas which will be addressed are as follows:
- Introduction to Japan area studies and basic Japanese language
- Development of a global perspective on global challenges
- Engagement of the public in the discussion of environmental issues
- Project management (design & delivery of school/community activities)
- Development of social media tools for program implementation and outreach
- Introduction to concept of ‘Bio-cultural conservation’ “
To apply for the program, Rebecca had to fill out an application, write about a project that she would like to undertake relative to this project and go through an interview process. Rebecca plans to implement a foreign affairs club at Oakwood as part of her project.
For more information, see the AYLP – Japan website.
Senior Terry Johnson finalist in Dr Seuss Scholarship "Oh the Places You'll Go"
Entry ID: 237959
Name: Terry Johnson
Title: Make Your Own Path
Medium: Pen and ink on parchment paper
Artwork Description: My interpretation of “Oh the places You’ll Go” using my original characters in place of Dr. Seuss’. My piece depicts the harsh decision high school students make when graduation nears. Rather than doing what is expected, easy, or more financially secure, my message is to do what you love.
Terry will find out if he is a winner sometime before April. Congratulations and good luck to Terry!
Please fill out the 2012 Parent Survey
Please fill out the annual Parent Survey. The Oakwood School values the partnership we have with our student’s parents in providing the best education possible. Each year, we ask that you share with us your thoughts about our school and we welcome you to the 2012 Parent Survey.
Click on the link below to start the questionnaire. It should take you 6-8 minutes to fill out. Only one parent per household should fill out the questionnaire and we ask that you do one survey for each child you have attending Oakwood. Your identity will be anonymous. The survey will close Monday, March 5, 2012.
http://www.surveybuilder.com/s/ISaqgCVH4AA?source_type=email
By filling out this survey, you can give the school important information that can be factored into short and long-term planning by the school’s leadership. Thanks for participating!
The Oakwood School/Chengdu Experimental Languages School exchange students depart
Check out exchange photos on Facebook. The 4th annual Oakwood School/Chengdu Experimental Languages School West Campus international exchange program ihas come to an end. The Chengdu school sent thirteen students (six girls and seven boys) this winter to Oakwood. This exchange is a unique opportunity for The Oakwood School and its students, and I am delighted the following families welcomed the students into their home as host families: Thanks to the Mewbornes, Warrens, Kiess/Swank, Bailey/Walker, Mosier, Lowry, Garrison, Leonhardt, Oakley, Kram, Price and Karriker families for hosting our Chinese students and chaperones!
The families who hosted our Chinese exchange students thoroughly enjoyed and greatly benefited from the experience. The visiting students were polite, thoughtful, considerate, and easy to have around. They were grateful for anything and everything our Oakwood families did for them. The Oakwood families said that they learned and gained more from the exchange than they would have dreamed possible. The Oakwood host parents told me that their students received an invaluable education learning about the customs, lifestyles, goals, and aspirations of their Chinese host student. The Chinese students love to be part of a family with younger children since most of the students do not have siblings because the law in China restricts families to one child.
The Chengdu Experimental Languages School is located in the city of Chengdu in Sichuan Province in south central China. Chengdu is the third largest metropolitan area in China with a population of over 18 million people. The school is touted as “a first-class facility with excellent educators, expert management, and high quality.” The superior teachers and facilities are the school’s source of great pride. 3,500 students attend the Experimental Language School, which has been recognized as one of the thousand “National Key High Schools” by the national government of China. The students are fluent in English and will utilize this foreign travel experience to sharpen their language skills.
The Chinese delegation of thirteen students and two teachers arrived in Greenville on Friday, January 20th and their journey with us will concluded on Tuesday, January 31st when they headed back to China. The group flew from China into New York City where they started their sightseeing on Monday the 16th of January. After two days of touring New York, the delegation journeyed to Washington, D.C., for tours of our nation’s capital and then onto Greenville to begin their exchange with us.
The students from China were housed in Oakwood families’ homes. It is this aspect of the exchange that makes it so special for the young men and women from China. They are able to see American life first-hand. Host families provided the three meals for each day and transported the exchange students to and from school. Most afternoons the group were on short field trips to sites nearby as well as to some of our North Carolina colleges and universities. These afternoon treks returned to school by 5 p.m. at which time the students are picked up to go to their hosts’ homes. The Chinese students had homework to do each evening so that they can keep up with their rigorous school assignments. The key ingredient to their visit with The Oakwood School is their time at the school working with all three divisions of the school and their time with the host families.
We are so pleased that our exchange was a huge success as always and look forward to our own Oakwood students heading off to China for their exchange later in February.
Robert R. Peterson
Head of School
