International students and you
Imagine learning about Japan, China and Korea from people who live there. Now imagine learning about these countries from students living right here in Powell River.
School District 47's International Student Program does just that. It provides international students with the opportunity to learn English and Canadian culture while providing Powell River students with the opportunity to learn about different cultures and countries.
Laurie Yule, English as a Second Language (ESL) consultant and International School Program Coordinator, says the program was originally developed to expose Powell River students to students from other cultures and countries.
Last year, 24 students from China, Hong King, Korea, Japan and Mexico were learning alongside their Powell River peers.
Laurie, who has been managing the program since 2004, says the program offers international students a BC Ministry of Education approved curriculum in state of the art, fully equipped schools with the goal of graduating.
Most of the international students come for high school but a few come at a younger age. "We have one student who has been here since half way through Grade 6. He plans to finish his schooling here and will be entering Grade 10 at Brooks in September."
The School District provides ESL classes during the school year and summer. "We want our students to be successful," says Laurie.
Powell River is a popular destination for international students because it is predominantly an English speaking community. Some areas of the lower mainland are heavily populated with people who speak Chinese, Japanese and Korean which means students don't speak as much English.
"That's definitely a big selling point here," says Laurie.
Some like the isolation factor. "They like the fact that Powell River is not Vancouver, that it's a smaller city."
Students are placed with homestay families. Most families have one student, some have two.
Tom and Linda Miller have been homestay parents for international students since the program began in 1989.
"Tom saw the ad and said, 'I think we should do this; it would be good for our daughters,' who were in elementary school at the time," said Linda.
The first student they had came from Hong Kong. "Her parents came here for Spring Break and stayed with us and in turn they invited us to visit their home."
Most years the Millers have two students. They also open their home to international students attending the School District's ESL summer program.
"We've helped raise a lot of kids," says Tom.
In the beginning, the Millers had international students stay with them in order to expose their own children to other countries and cultures. But now that their own children are grown and gone, they do it because they enjoy having teenagers in the house.
For Linda, the best part about hosting students is watching them learn and develop self-confidence. "When they first arrive they are so shy and unsure and don't know any English. I enjoy watching them blossom. It really makes me feel good."
It's busy, but it's never too busy for Linda, who works in the bakery at Mitchell Brothers, to find time to bake her famous chocolate chip cookies, which they all love!
International students come to Powell River because they want to improve their English. They come for one to three years and leave after graduation.
"The purpose is graduation and the Canadian cultural experience," says Laurie.
That experience in Powell River includes an introduction to camping, skating, sports and, of course, canoeing.
"We took them to Vancouver for two days and saw the Phoenix Suns play basketball," says Laurie. "We celebrate Chinese New Year together as a group each year and the Brooks Culinary Program puts on a fabulous Christmas dinner."
So, what's it like for the international students when they first arrive?
"They have no idea," says Laurie laughing. "Yes, it's definitely a culture shock."
"We expose these kids to a different culture. For the first time it's overwhelming having nothing but English spoken."
Students experience a Sliammon plank salmon meal, hike Valentine Mountain, do movie nights, and are taken camping. "There are lots of activities going on."
Most international students have never camped before. "It's so foreign to them. They're worried about the bears and the forest is frightening."
Soon after they arrive in September, they go canoeing, rock climbing, do the zip line, and learn to make s'mores and build fires. "They all share that same first (experience) together during a big introductory weekend of camping and group teambuilding we call a Canadian Experience," says Laurie.
Exit interviews are conducted at the end of the year for students leaving the program. "The big thing that comes out is how they wish they'd taken more chances with meeting more kids at school and exploring the unknown," says Laurie.
Five international students graduated this year. Ten are returning and there are some new homestay families joining those who have opened their hearts and homes to international students for years.
"We are always looking for people who like the teenage experience and are interested in providing homestays," says Laurie.
SD47 is looking at integrating its international student program with Vancouver Island University so international students would be able to remain in Powell River for their first year of university.
For more information about SD47's international program please visit www.prschools.net or www.sd47.bc.ca.
