The Global Village School

Authors' Tea Friday February 3rd!

Take a few minutes from a busy Friday to enjoy tea and lovely cakes in the downstairs parlor of the school. We are located in the second floor education wing of Decatur Presbyterian Church all week long, but the church allows us to use the downstairs parlor for our Teas. At 2pm we start serving tea and treats and at 2:30 the GVS girls present skits, music and poetry for 30 minutes. The program is always different and you'll learn something, guaranteed, from the skits.

Tea schedule for 2012 is February 3rd, March 2nd, skip April and the last Tea of the year will be May 4th.

Grandmothers For Peace and John Lewis Present Prizes

GVS writers Bertha and Rita were honored at a celebration arranged by Grandmothers for Peace as two of the five essay winners.  In addition to their essays being chosen from among 83 submissions, Bertha and Rita were the only non-native English speakers. And the awards were presented by Congressman John Lewis.

Bertha first met Congressman Lewis on the GVS trip to Washington D.C. in 2010, when GVS was invited to his office and later met him on the steps of the Capitol. The whole school is so proud of our two essay winners, and thanks Grandmothers for Peace and Congressman Lewis for this honor. You may watch a video by videographer Judy Conder of the presentation which includes Elise Witt singing, Bertha, Rita, John Lewis and Grandmothers for Peace at the presentation,

The two peace essays can be downloaded here:  Download Bertha's Essay "War Is a Disease".

Download Rita's Essay "Building Peace".

Spreading Out the Joy All Year Long

A Monthly Gift to GVS makes an even bigger difference!

Like most of us, you probably plan your budget for the year, knowing that there is a bottom line each month you must meet - housing, food, utilities, insurance payments. And you also know that you can expect some kind of regular monthly salary, annuity or other income that you can rely on month after month. You know the drill!

 GVS is no different and one of my responsibilities is to see that we have the cash on hand to keep those monthly expenses paid - to pay our excellent teachers, keep our post office box open, buy MARTA tickets for the girls to come to and from school to provide nutritious lunches.  

Some families like to do all their giving at the end of each year.  But others appreciate the ability to spread their annual donation across the months.  Please consider what's right for your family.  We appreciate all your gifts.  But if monthly giving is right for you, it serves GVS very well.

If you want to consider making your annual gift to GVS throughout the year, with convenient monthly automatic payments through our online processor, click the Donate Now button on this page and select "recurring" as your gift type..   You'll get an immediate receipt for your gift online, and we can provide an annual statement if you like.   It's easy and convenient, saves time, paper, postage.

Think about it and it's it's right for you, it's right for GVS!

Congratulations Kelsey! GVS Helps a Student Earn a Posse Scholarship.

Kelsey Sullivan, the Druid Hills High School student who set up a tutoring program for GVS students there, has won a four-year full scholarship through the Posse Program to Boston University.  The Posse foundation uses non-traditional ways of identifying public school student leaders to award full scholarships to private universities.  Students are nominated by their schools for their leadership qualities and community service, and then they go through lots of group and individual interviews, they get recommendations (GVS's Julia Levy wrote one about her work for GVS) and then they're named one of ten members of a "Posse" that go together to a university from a regional area.  President Obama donated a portion of his Nobel winnings to the program. 

Kelsey says a large part of her success in achieving this came from what she's done with GVS students (Paw Boe is shown here) and the tutoring program for them that she's developed over at Druid Hills High School--one that's now formally aligned with the IRC's tutoring program.  She has put in the hours and shown enormous beyond-her-years initiative in working with our girls, and there is no doubt that at least one of them is now college-bound largely due to her efforts and consistent, whatever-it-takes support. 

GVS is so proud of this unique ability as a school to provide important educational opportunities not just for 30 refugee students but for the high school and college kids that work with them--extending our mission.  Kelsey wants to study international relations now and go out there and dedicate her life to working with underserved populations.  She credits her work with Paw Boe for inspiring her to do this.

School Resumes January 4th

GVS follows the school calendar set by DeKalb County, as many of you know. This means December 16th was the last day of school, and students (including 5 new girls!) came back Wednesday, January 4th. GVS tutors please look for a special message from our volunteer coordinator, Anne-Marie Sparrow, with these dates. If you are interested in tutoring, contact Anne-Marie.

If you are interested in visiting the school, please don't hesitate to call or email. We think you will find it a transforming experience, and we welcome your visit. 

The Global Village School

The Global Village School provides an enriched education to teenage girls whose formal education has been interrupted by war and refugee camp experiences. Pioneering an innovative curriculum, the school provides  teenagers with intensive English language training and enhanced education, including an  emphasis on science and math, the humanities and integrated arts. We respect, honor and accept students from all cultural backgrounds. GVS is located in the educational wing of Decatur Presbyterian Church but has no affiliation with any religious faith. Explore our unique multi-cultural school on these pages. Click here for a downloadable copy of our Statement of Purpose which can be circulated in your community. 

GVS receives no federal or state funds.  Your individual gifts of financial support keep the doors open. Please donate by clicking the link on the right side of this page. Your gift is tax deductible and will be used wisely.  

GVS accepts applications from girls or their refugee agency advocates based on the following profile: age 13-17, recent arrival in the US and a strong desire to learn. 

 

 

More National Coverage for GVS

The Huffington Post reaches a wide and influential audience on the web, and did a nice job picking up both stories. You can read the article here, or enter the URL below into your browser.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/16/refugee-teen-girls-find-s_n_1095584.html

CNN Story on GVS Hits Nationwide

Reporter Dana Rosenblatt's excellent story on GVS provides an accurate and warm glimpse of being a Global Village School student. Click here to read Dana's story or copy and paste the address below into your web browser. 

 

http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/12/us/atlanta-refugee-school/index.html?iref=allsearch

GVS Featured on Channel 5 - revisit the program here!

Thanks to award-winning broadcaster Lisa Rayam, Fox News Channel 5 presented a wonderful segment on the Global Village School Thursday November 10th.  Send this link on to show your friends the school you are supporting and add a note asking them to add their support to yours in this season of giving. 

Click on the link above, or copy and paste this into your browser:          http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/news/local_news/School-Teaches-Children-From-War-Torn-Areas-20111110-pm-pk

Latest Wish List...

The fall continues and we always have wonderful supporters asking us what we need.  Here is the latest list from our teachers.  Donations of any of these items make a big difference!

Copier paper Laminating sheets   and unopened toiletries of the kind girls love!

 

 

 

How to Budget And Have Fun Too

Friends of GVS Angie Allen and Enid Draluck had the great idea of teaching all the GVS girls how to budget in a real life shopping spree. Each girl was given her budget to spend and with 7 adults we descended on a Marshall's, a Ross, and Payless (for the all-important shoes!) for 90 minutes of shopping. For many GVS girls this was the first time they had ever had this experience and it was hard – and fun. Then Angie and Enid treated us all to pizza and salads. More photos are coming, so check our FaceBook page. Thank you GVS friends and mentors Angie and Enid!

(that's Angie on the left and our official school librarian Margot Allison on the right with some of the girls)