7th Annual Alumni Newsletter - School Web sites hosted by Eugene ...

IB AND MORE
The IB World Student Conference took place August
9-13, 2010 on the campus of Oregon State University.
What an amazing week! The energy and enthusiasm of
almost 300 students from around the globe was infectious
and hugely inspiring. By the end of a very busy
week, which included working with Michael Furdyk
of TakingITGlobal, hearing from Daniel Pauly, videoconferencing
with Jeremy Gilley from Peace One Day,
and then working in Global Action Teams to create a
project leading to a better and more peaceful world, students
were truly engaged and empowered in their role as
global citizens.
Representatives from Eugene IHS included: Gina
Bauer, Emily Brixey, Duncan Fuchise, Carter Thallon,
and Malachite Wyld.
The conference could not have happened without
Marilyn Curtis' clear vision, attention to detail, and incredible
year-long commitment. Her grasp of the conference’s
purpose and role in bringing together IB learners
from all over the globe cannot be overstated. Bravo to
Marilyn for turning over her summer to planning and
executing the week’s
events and for surviving
an intense week of
activity!
Jocelyn Harley should
also be recognized for
her work as the facilitator
of a Global Action
Team. Working with
a group of about 20
students (and several
different languages),
she was responsible
for guiding a diverse
group towards a completed
action plan. The
premise of the conference—that
students
would work in cross-
12
cultural groups—would not have worked without the support
and willingness of facilitators like Jocelyn to
engage students.
Other members of
the IHS family also
played a critical role
in the conference.
Our head teacher,
Courtney Leonard,
not only devoted endless
hours to planning
the event and troubleshooting throughout the week, but also
made an inspirational plenary presentation that proved a highlight
of the week’s events. Two of our alumni, Marta Tolmach
and Natalie Radich, spent a week in the OSU dorms serving
as chaperones and another alum, Wells O’Byrne, captivated
the hearts of the conference participants by organizing a mini-
World Cup soccer tournament that ran throughout the week.
Kudos to everyone!
In all, the week was a smashing success and a great reminder
of the importance of allowing all our students
to maximize their own visions, curiosity and
empathy. You can follow the conversation via the
facebook page: IB World Student Conference or check out the
website at: http://oregonstate.edu/conferences/ibwsc.