AFS-USA Introduces the Global LEAP Program
in Cooperation with
AFS Bolivia, AFS Ecuador and AFS Venezuela
The AFS Global LEAP program, Sponsored by the US Department of State, is designed for secondary school administrators from Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela. The three-week U.S. program will take place in Boise, Idaho and will provide participants with the knowledge and skills needed to evaluate and address the needs of their students, schools, and communities within their respective countries. Participants will also focus on strategies, resources, and research needed to develop curriculum for their schools. During this time, participants will develop curriculum to implement in the respective schools when they return home.
While in Idaho, participants will be active in the Leadership Program at Boise State University which will be followed by a job shadowing and homestay component. These experiences will focus on integrating technology, as well as strategies for linking the school to the community, and management styles for effective organizational development. Leadership seminars will be divided into Group Learning, Break-out Sessions, and Project-based Learning. Throughout the three-week program, participants will explore the local region, experience aspects of American culture, and form a professional network of school administrators in Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and the United States. The program will conclude with a two-day debrief at Boise State University followed by a three-day visit to Washington DC where participants will have the opportunity to meet with both U.S. Department of State and Embassy officials.
The skill set acquired during the three-week professional development phase of the program will be reinforced with follow-on activities. A primary objective of this program/exchange is to prepare participants to apply their learning experiences meaningfully in their own school administrations and districts. AFS staff in Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela will work with participants to help them develop the projects created in Idaho. Follow-on projects will be vetted through workshops that encourage personal motivation, empowerment, participatory learning and leadership skills within school curriculum. Civitas Latin America will provide additional support to carry out curriculum based projects between each of the countries. Civitas Latin America and AFS in-country staff will also serve as resources to ensure that participants continue to network with each other and with their U.S. mentors in Idaho in order to sustain sister-school relationships.
Program Dates:
October 13, 2007 – November 3, 2007
Saturday, October 13, 2007: Arrival in Boise, Idaho USA
Sunday, October 14: City and Program Orientation
Monday, October 15 – Friday, October 19: Leadership Program (Boise State University)
Sunday, October 21 – Saturday, October 27: Home-stay
Monday, October 22 – Friday, October 26: School Administrator Job Shadow
Monday, October 29 – Tuesday, October 30: Program De-brief
Wednesday, October 31: Travel to Washington, D.C.
Thursday, November 1 – Friday, November 2: Washington, D.C. Program
Saturday, November 3: Departure