As the celebration of the School’s 50th year began, the School established a new Center for Global Learning, creating a formal structure to support something that had been vital to the School from the very earliest days in Woodbury. Having students understand that there was a fascinating, complex, and diverse world beyond Gloucester County was always central to the School. WFS students Karen Elkis and Chris Knisely remembered that their teachers hailed from all over the world and that, as just one small example, they were playing soccer well before it caught on at other schools. Over the years, teachers born in Great Britain, France, Belgium, Sweden, India, and many more places have taught for the School. More important than this, however, was the curriculum itself, which helped push students to not only recognize the fullness of the world and its people but to empathize with those different from them. When asked about the contributions of the School to their development, many alumni remembered this emphasis on global education. Wayne Copeland, who has been a student, a teacher, and a Board member and whose family has been a constant presence in the School for the entire 5 decades, remembered that Teacher Hanshi was a “great influence for me” and that “the greatest thing I can say is International Day.” Wayne remembered that Hanshi was the first teacher who told him “you know, it’s not just the United States, there’s more out there.” Wayne noted that he could still remember that in 6th grade his “country was South Africa” at a time when “apartheid was real” and that Hanshi “had us write letters to the embassies to get information and, then of course, they would give information back to us.” This tradition of having students study foreign countries has continued for all 5 decades, both through a “World’s Fair” and through United Nations Day. Another example of the School’s focus on global learning comes from Teacher Peter Manzelmann’s longtime project of having students draw a map of the world from memory. Parent Judy Corona-Karpowicz remembered that Peter had “both of my children map the world by memory at the end of one of their middle school years. And it was such a wonderful learning experience. Both of my children have that map framed and hanging on their bedroom walls still. And it just really brought to life that he’s very passionate about the world and the people in it.” So, in 2018, Matt Bradley decided to bring the various strands together in the Friends School Mullica Hill Center for Global Learning. He soon hired Ben Hren to oversee and expand this distinctive and enduring element of the School so that it remains as vital and as meaningful to students at the 100th anniversary of the School as it is today, as we celebrate 50 years of the Friends School of Gloucester County.
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