Bridging the Divide: U.S. Students Train as Virtual Ambassadors to the Balkans

Catholic Relief Services
Friday, 9 January 2004

More than 60 U.S. high school students and teachers from nine states will meet in Los Angeles next week to sharpen their skills as peace builders between and among students in the United States and nine Balkan countries and territories.

The conference will bring the students together Jan. 16 to 19 at St. Joseph High School, Lakewood, Calif., as part of the School Connectivity Project, an innovative education initiative of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) designed to foster greater cultural understanding and exchange through direct contact and collaboration with other students and teachers via the Internet.

The School Connectivity Project, supported by CRS and the U.S. State Department, brings together students from 91 high schools in 10 countries, including 16 U.S. high schools, through the project's Web-based discussion forum at www.SchoolConnectitivy.net. Through the Website, students cross borders to jointly explore and collaborate on projects that touch on culture, identity, arts, technology, history and environment. Schools from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Romania, and Serbia and Montenegro participate in the project.

The work ultimately prepares students to become active, tolerant and globally aware citizens. "Doing projects means that people in the entire whole world get together and work together," wrote one high school freshman from the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.

Added students from Jagodina, Serbia: "Maybe with this rather small project, we can make big progress where our countries' diplomacy failed."

CONFERENCE AT A GLANCE

WHAT: School Connectivity Project for Southeast Europe and the United States

WHEN: Jan. 16-19

WHERE: St. Joseph High School, 5825 Woodruff Ave., Lakewood, Calif.

PARTICIPANTS:
Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Baltimore, Md.
Belpre High School, Belpre, Oh.
Caldwell High School, Caldwell, Id.
Cardinal Gibbons High School, Raleigh, N.C.
Center City High School, Salt Lake City, Ut.
Foshay Learning Center, Los Angeles, Calif.
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, Los Angeles, Calif.
Mary Help of Christians Academy, North Haledon, N.J.
Paul VI Catholic High School, Fairfax, Va.
Ravenscroft School, Raleigh, N.C.
Ronan High School, Ronan, Mt.
St. Joseph High School, Lakewood, Calif.
St. Mary's Ryken High School, Leonardtown, Md.
Trinity High School, Garfield Heights, Oh.
Valley High School, Sandy, Ut.
Vallivue High School, Caldwell, Id.

For more information on the School Connectivity Project, go to www.catholicrelief.org/schoolconnectivity.cfm.

Catholic Relief Services is the official international relief and development agency of the U.S. Catholic community. The agency provides assistance to people in more than 90 countries and territories on the basis of need, not race, creed or nationality.

For more information, or to contact Catholic Relief Services, see their website at: www.catholicrelief.org