Yellow Jacket globe trotters
By Frank Bradley Staff writer

Four of thirteen HHS students who visited Denmark last month breif the school board on their experience. From left: Trevor Staton, Alex Morgan, Alex Walters, Meredith Huges.

Students at Hayesville High School are preparing to meet the challenges of the modern world on a global scale. Not just by reading and studying about those far away places, but also by going there and mingling with the people of other countries and cultures.

Last year and again just last week, principal Gail Criss led groups of students on weeklong trips to China. Those exploratory visits were funded by a former-Hayesville High School graduate and business man, Ron Beal.

Last month, Linda Barrett, a high school teacher, led a group of 13 Hayesville High School students on a week-long trip to Denmark, On Monday, four of those students, Meredith Hughes, Alex Walters, Trevor Staton and Alex Morgan, gave a presentation to the local school board about their experiences and the benefits of the trip.

Miss Hughes said the students traveled to Copenhagen, where they attended classes in a school on the outskirts of that city. Their Danish teachers held classes in the subjects of Greek History, English and Social Studies, which they attended along with a group of Danish students. The classes were taught in English.

In the afternoons, the students visited cultural landmarks including the Danish Parliment, the U.S. Embassy and Kronborg Castle.

The Hayesville students lived with sponsoring families in Denmark and had to make their way to school each day, either by walking or bicycling to a train station to ride to and from school. The Clay County students ate with their hosts and spent some time hanging out with Danish kids their age.

Alex Walters said that while there were many similarities among the two countries, there were also some differences. He noted that Denmark provides health care for everyone, in contrast to the American system which does not. He said that a lot more responsibility was also placed on the students there, and that their course of study is tough.

Trevor Staton pointed out the differences in religious practicde by saying that about half of the student body was made up of Muslims and the other half Christian.

Students in Denmark learn English as second language beginning in first grade, and then take up a third language in the 8th grade. They have similiar technology as that of the U.S. Computers in the classrooms, using the same Window System as is done here.

Sports, we were told, takes place outside of school. The big sport is Soccer, and our students played soccer with the Danes. We didn't learn how the games turned out.

Mrs. Barrett said the Hayesville students behaved admirably during the trip. Calling them "good will ambassadors."

She said she hoped this visitation program to other countries would be ongoing, pointing out that the students were involved in various projects to raise money for the trip. She also told the board that 21 students from Denmark would be coming to Hayesville to attend a week long program in late February of next year.

Commenting on the presentation, Superintendent Scott Penland said he was a firm believer in international travel."

Reader Comments

No comments have been posted. Be the first!

Other Stories With Comments:
Article	Comments
Land transfer tax-- let the voters decide	1