 INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS > USA PROJECT
Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492. English Language Specialist School # 155 "discovered" the United States of America in 1986. Breaking old stereotypes and prejudices of the "stagnation" times the school began to implement "People’s Diplomacy" ideas into the school life. Teachers, businessmen, layers… of the Middle America flooded the school talking to students, discussing various burning issues, visiting students families etc. Projects like "Pen – Pals", "Children - leaders" ("Giraffes"), joint patrol of Kyiv city streets together the police force of San Jose, California, USA and Kyiv police (Sch 155 project) and other initiatives involved hundreds of Sch. 155 students and adults as well as students of the USA into international activity.  Founders of the first Sch. 155 – the USA projects: Sharon Tennyson, George Kostylov and Lynda Couture with the Sch. 155 students’ Posters – greetings to American children. );) It was with the Green Fields Country Day school in Tucson, Arizona (principal Phineas Anderson) that Sch. 155 initiated the first in the history of the countries, and unique non-governmental students and teachers exchange. Boldness and scope of the project were unprecedented for that time. The project laid foundation for the system of further non-governmental school-to-school exchange programs for many other schools. 1986 – First Americans unofficially visit Sch. 155.  First American teachers teach lessons at Sch. 155. );) 1987 – Sch. 155 initiates and organizes them visit of police from San Jose, California to Kyiv. Students of Sch. 155 and American and Ukrainian police jointly patrol the streets of Kyiv city.  Joined night patrol in Kyiv. Making friends with American and Ukrainian policemen. );) 1987–1988 – Students – leaders of Sch. 155 and the best leadership programs of American schools organize Regional Leadership "Giraffe" project. Students – leaders of Sch. 155, Ukraine and the USA have a lot of common interests.  Giraffe Project (Giraffes are the people who stick their necks out to make their world a better place). );) 1988–1989 – Sch. 155 with the American partners organizes global projects "Pen-Pals" and "Birthday Pen-Pals" for Ukrainian (Soviet then) and American school children. 1988–1989 – For the first time in the history of two countries as a part of the USA program "Soviets Meet Middle America" teachers of Sch. 155 travel all over the USA from the South to the North talking to people, learning the system of education of the USA, getting to know culture, and life of American people.  Teachers of Sch. 155 "Meet Middle America". );) 1988 – For the first time in the history of the Ukrainian schools (and the Soviet Union then) Sch. 155 at its own initiative hosts the American school principal to discuss future school-to-school projects.  Phineas Anderson, principal of Green Fields Country Day School in Tucson, Arizona is talking to Sch. 155 students. );) 1989–1994 – For the first time in the history of the then Soviet Union Sch. 155 without seeking approval from Moscow conducts non-governmental students and teachers exchange between Sch. 155 and Green Fields Country Day School, Tucson, Arizona. For five years the project remained a unique school-to-school non-governmental program.  Students of Green Fields Country Day school and Sch. 155 are at the parade-carnival in Tucson. Guess Who is Who. );) 1989 – The first official reception of the students from  Sch. 155 in the Congress of the USA. );) 1989 – The students of School 155 are the first exchange students from CIS who visited Grand Canyon National Park.  The students of School 155 in the Grand Canyon National Park. );)  Our memorable letter, after the visit in the Grand Canyon National Park. );) 1989 – The first time in the history of Ukraine (Soviet Union then) students of Sch. 155 are hosted by the families of the Congressmen and Senators of the United States. The USA Senators’ families of the Kostmayers and the Gores (Albert Gore – the Vice-President of the USA) welcome Sch. 155 in their families.  The Kostmayers with the student of Sch. 155. );) 1989 – The first in the history of the United Nations official reception of Ukrainian students (Soviet Union then) in the Office of the United Nations Organization.  Delegation of the students from Green Fields Country Day School and Sch. 155 in the Assembly Hall of the UNO. );) 1990 – Principals of Sch. 155 and Green Fields Country Day School meet the Minister for Secondary Education of the USA and discuss ways for the USA and Ukrainian (USSR then) schools cooperation.  At the meeting with the Minister for Secondary Education of the USA. );) 1990 – US Senator Mr. De Concini holds a special meeting with the exchange students of our school on his official mission checking the Helsinki Agreement fulfillment.  US Senator Mr. De Concini at the time of his official mission checking the Helsinki Agreement fulfillment. );) 1991 – The first in the history of Ukraine (and not only…) bilateral Ukraine – USA students conference on ecology. The organizers are Green Fields Country Day Scholl and English Language School 155. The schools involved the World Watch Institute, USA and the Ukrainian Parliamentary Committee on Ecology to the conference conducting.  The bilateral Ukraine – USA students conference on ecology. );) 1991 – US Congressman Mr. Udall meets the students of School 155 in his office (Washington DC). He shares his ideas of the world politics and the work of a congressman with our students.  US Congressman Mr. Udall with the students of School 155 in his office (Washington DC). );) 1990–1994 – Sch. 155 disseminates its practice in the non-governmental school-to-school exchange programs among the Ukrainian and American schools. Sch. 155 involves and coordinates the exchange projects for more than a dozen of Ukrainian and American schools. The project becomes the largest students and teachers exchange program between the schools of Ukraine and Baltimore County, the USA.  The partner-coordinator Peter Suggat among Ukrainian students. );) 1991 – Robert Persico, director of the Office for the citizens exchange for the State Department of the United States visits Sch. 155. He said that he wanted to see the school where the biggest number of winners of the USA State Program "Future Leaders" study.  Robert Persico, director of the Office for the citizens exchange for the State Department of the United States visits Sch. 155. );) 1992 – Sch. 155 administration studies and participates in designing Gifted and Talented Program for Pima County Board of Education, Arizona, USA. 1994 – Sch. 155 gets the award of Recognition from the Department of Education of Baltimore County for initiating and participating in the most wide-scale in the history of the countries students and teachers exchange. 1994 – Teachers of Sch. 155 study the system Gifted and Talented Education in the USA. Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. 1999 – The President of the United States of America Bill Clinton awards Sch. 155 student-graduate Aleksandr Grinberg with the Distinction for the Exceptional Academic Achievements.  The award to Sch. 155 student-graduate Aleksandr Grinberg from the President of the United States of America Bill Clinton. );) 1999 – Joint project of Sch 155 tudents Government and Board of Merriweather Hall, the George Washington University (Washington D.C.) Aid for children, suffering from heart diseases. 2003 – Sch. 155 – USA, Canaveral. Student Rybachuk Kateryna participates in the International Aerospace Projects "Astroplant" (The USA, Canaveral).  Kate during her aero-space mission. );) 2009 – Michelle Kwan (USA), the World and Olympic chamipon visits our school. Michelle Quan, an American figure skater who has won five World Championships and two Olympic medals, visited the school on March, 2. In a lively discussion with the senior students she shared her ideas of sports, culture and peoples' diplomacy. The meeting was organised by the Embassy of the United States in Kyiv as a part of Michelle's mission as an American Public Diplomacy envoy to Ukraine. See more on the US Department of State official site and at next sites  Michelle Kwan is talking to our students. );) |
|
