Regular classes may be dismissed until September, but School District 47 facilities have been busier than ever with five international programs on the go this summer.
Part of a larger initiative designed to bolster enrolment and promote diversity within the community, the programs deliver education for Asian exchange students that can hold its own on the world stage.
“We have a declining student population because the demographic shift is happening here,” said International Student Program district principal Shannon Behan. “If we increase our international students then it adds flair, variety and allows us to continue and increase some of the programs we offer within the district.”
More than 80 students from China, Korea and Japan are currently enrolled in short-term programs ranging from intermediate language and culture studies to immersion at the primary level. The latter is the school district’s newest offering, created in response to a widening margin of interest.
“I have a lot of applications for students who are very young and their parents want them to come here and be immersed in the English language and Canadian culture,” said Behan. “I thought, ‘Let’s open it up, keep it small and see what we can make out of this.’”
Behan said she has been delighted with the results so far, seeing a ripple of cultural enrichment benefiting not only the visiting international students but also those who were born and raised in Powell River.
The school district has also found ways to use its Outdoor Learning Centre at Haywire Bay, which opened in 2012, as part of a cultural and language program for international students at the high school level. Over a four-day period, each group spends time camping, canoeing, climbing and adjusting to life on Canada’s west coast.
“As you know, in Beijing there’s lots of air pollution,” said international student Addison Wang, 16, “but out here it’s like heaven.”
For fellow 16-year-old student Nathan Liu, the ability to slow down and leave some stress behind has been the most noticeable change.
“I never feel tired living here,” said Liu.
Behan said the Powell River area is a great fit for the summer programs.
“It’s so safe and quiet and different than most of the places the kids come from because it’s rural,” she added.
Further appeal lies in the area’s predominantly English-speaking population, which forces students to hone their language skills.
“A lot of kids can go to Vancouver and speak Mandarin and not even really have to learn how to speak English,” said Behan. “Here, there’s just no other option.”
By pairing each student with a homestay family they become further ingrained in the community and many develop lifelong connections with their hosts.
“Homestay families are such an important part of our program,” said Behan. “They’re very kind, very caring. Some have been taking kids for 15 years and they still stay in touch.”
While a few weeks studying abroad may not seem like a long time, Behan believes it provides a sufficient glimpse into the suitability of a longer stay down the road.
“It gives us an opportunity to get to know the kids, figure out what they are aiming at and see if they are good candidates for being students in the district,” she said. “The kids who come here usually want to graduate and go to post-secondary, so we also want to make sure we’re accepting kids who can meet that criteria.”
The international education market is a small community where a lot happens by word of mouth, said Behan.
“The BC diploma is widely recognized and well-respected all over the world,” said Behan. “They come to Canada, they’re immersed in the school and the language with the homestays, and for us it’s actually some really good advertising.”
