More than 35 students from countries including South Korea, Spain, China, South Africa, Uganda, and Australia are enrolled at Greensboro Day School this year. We offer them a premiere educational community, with wonderful opportunities for learning and experiencing American culture. They leave GDS with new friends, increase their fluency in English, and gain experiences that will mold them and their futures. But when they move on from GDS, do they leave us with anything? According to students, faculty and alumni, the answer is a resounding “Yes!” A New Perspective Don Lahey has been GDS’s International Student Coordinator for 21 years. “Before,” he says, “I would stand in front of my class, actively engaging 15 to 20 students at once. But now, I’m often sitting with one to three students, helping them with what they need. They are directing their education, and I’m there to help. It’s totally changed the way I think about teaching.” Ellie Baldwin ’18 was used to being the only child in her family—until the Baldwin Family hosted Crystal Zhou ’17 for two years. “At first we brushed our teeth alone behind closed doors,” she says. “But before long, we were standing at the bathroom sink together. We went from sharing a morning ritual to sharing our lives. She’s like a sister to me now.” Ellie and her parents travelled to China this past summer to visit Crystal and her family. Benefits beyond GDS An international student herself, Madison Barefoot ’09 just began her MBA at London Business School. “While at GDS, I was in classes with Koreans, Bulgarians, Indians, and even a student from Cote d’Ivoire,” she says. “I loved getting to know them and learn about their cultures. Even now, I’m surrounded by students from around the world. I’m the only American in my study group; the others are from Hong Kong, China, Egypt, Argentina and Switzerland. My experience with international students at GDS and my own travels have prepared me to succeed in this setting.” A Challenge to Grow Makenna Cripps ’18 says of Babalwa Tetyana ’18, a student from South Africa, “I wouldn’t be as bold as I am today if Babalwa hadn’t come to GDS. Having such a positive and outgoing friend—who came from halfway around the world—helped me mature and adapt to high school, because she did it so easily.” Posing hypothetical questions, Barb Steslow, GDS Biology teacher, encourages students to consider the following: Would you ever leave your family to move to another country for high school? Aren’t our international students courageous to do this? “It opens their eyes and starts conversations that often lead to friendships,” Steslow says. “These international kids energize the level of learning in our classrooms. And the students who take advantage of these unique relationships will do well in our global society.” n A World of Influence by Caroline Paris CAMPUS NEWS 12 | Winter 2017