11/24/2007 - Paris in Japan
An Independence High School junior will soon be packing her bags for a long trip. Paris Sharpe is the first Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools student to win the Yoshi Hattori scholarship. The scholarship means Paris will study in Japan for an entire year.
“We had a Japanese exchange student here in the ninth grade and I always asked her about her country,” said Paris. “Now I’ll know at least one person there!”
Paris is in Independence’s Academy of International Studies. She has always wanted to study abroad, but wasn’t sure how to begin. Now it’s a little easier: CMS set a goal to increase opportunities for overseas study.
The renewed effort is part of CMS’ Strategic Plan 2010: Educating Students to Compete Locally, Nationally and Internationally. The top goal of high academic achievement includes expanding foreign-language instruction and travel.
“We’ve always taken in exchange students—from China, Japan, Germany—but our students haven’t really studied in other countries,” said Syndie Fleener, director of the Academy of International Studies at Independence. “Now we’re opening more doors for students, making sure they know what opportunities are available and how to apply.”
Paris saw a flyer about the Yoshi Hattori Memorial Scholarship at school and immediately grabbed it. The flyer was distributed through the Study Abroad initiative to increase knowledge about overseas travel opportunities available for students. The scholarship is named for a Japanese exchange student who was killed in the United States in 1992. It covers travel from Los Angeles to Japan, all school fees and expenses for a year.
Paris filled out the 26-page application and learned she was one of three finalists.
“At the point where you have just three students left, everybody’s good,” she said. “We all have good grades and good extracurricular activities, but I think I stood out because I was so excited about the opportunity and was really ready to talk to the judges.”
Paris will leave for Japan in March and won’t be back at Independence until February 2009. Although she will miss half of her junior and senior years, she’ll still graduate with her class—and that’s no accident.
“Dr. Gorman is serious about making sure students who get these opportunities aren’t penalized in any way,” said Fleener. “Paris is already working with her guidance counselor to figure out which courses in Japan will give her credit here.”
Paris doesn’t yet know where in Japan she’ll be living, but she’s not worried. She’s excited about touring the country, learning about the culture and learning Japanese.
“Language is my thing,” she said. “I may want to be an interpreter when I’m older and I learn languages very quickly, so I’m not worried about picking up Japanese.”
Her teachers and classmates plan to use her trip as a learning experience. While in Japan, Paris will shoot videos about her home, school and life there and send them back to Independence.
“I think she’ll end up being an ambassador for our school system,” said Fleener. “When she gets back, I see her going from school to school, talking about her experience. That will make a difference, because kids listen to kids.”
CMS will continue to alert high school counselors about study abroad opportunities by sending flyers and other information to schools. For more information about CMS’ study abroad programs, call Tara Brown in the student placement office at 980-343-2672 or click here to email her.
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