Global Studies is a second diploma program at Watkinson school. This program is application based and the main focus is furthering the study of the world. Global Studies is built around nine themes: the arts, the environment, globalization, global public health, human rights, non-violence and war, religion, sustainability and technology/communication. Each year of Global Studies, students in the program are required to attend nine events surrounding global work. These events range from ADL conferences about hate, to those about world leaders such as Vicente Fox.
This event was both educational and fun. I was able to learn so much more about Chinese culture, while having fun at the same time. We went an apple orchard in Middletown, Ct to show the Chinese students from our school fall festivals while also learning about their's. We introduced them to traditions such as buying pumpkins and corn mazes, and showed them favorite foods like cider and doughnuts. This experience helped me to understand how different cultures approach different aspects of life.
At the Anti Defamation League, Never is Now Conference, I had the amazing
opportunity to learn more about fighting anti-semitism. Here, I listened to
brilliant speakers talk about what they do in their daily lives to combat bigotry. I had
the chance to learn about anti-semitism in sports, social media, and in the business
world. As a Jew, it helped me to learn more about my culture, and how to better my
role in fighting hate for good.
opportunity to learn more about fighting anti-semitism. Here, I listened to
brilliant speakers talk about what they do in their daily lives to combat bigotry. I had
the chance to learn about anti-semitism in sports, social media, and in the business
world. As a Jew, it helped me to learn more about my culture, and how to better my
role in fighting hate for good.
Last December, the Global Studies group travelled to the big apple to learn about about some difficult things. We started our trip at the Jewish Heritage Museum, to learn about the Holocaust, it's origins, and effects on our country. As a Jewish student, this was very difficult for me but I always welcome the chance to learn more. We then visited the 9/11 memorial, and I found the names of some men my father had known. Doing this in dreary weather made all the more distressing. We ended the day in Times Square, with dinner and the musical Come From Away. It was an amazing testament to the heroic acts of others during 9/11, and how that furthered our country's relationship forever.
Last November I was given the opportunity to listen to Vicente Fox speak in downtown Hartford. It was a pretty special night, listening to the former president of Mexico speak about topics such as brexit and the war on drugs.
This was one of the most captivating events that I've been apart of since entering Global Studies. Here, I had the chance to visit a mosque for Friday prayers, and afterward learn more about the Islamic religion. In my upbringing this wasn't a faith that I learned too much about, and I was able to understand more about the religion, and the teachings of the Quran.