Students reflect on their SDLC experience

We have had such an inspiring and exciting time this past week in Houston. After the closing ceremony, we asked our students "What was a highlight of SDLC (Student Diversity Leadership Conference) for you?" and here is what they said: 

Courtney: I loved my Home Group where we clarified all sorts of questions about identity ... I also liked the silent movement exercise where we didn't have to explain ourselves....

Jessica: I liked the SDLC Closing Ceremony where students talked about their journeys ... It felt very open and powerful because people said things that they had never had the courage to say before - not even to their own families...

Sabrina: I liked the silent motion activity where people who thought they were all alone saw that others stood with them and that they aren't alone after all ...

Adesuwa: I liked meeting people from other schools and I made a great friend from Virginia. 

Sara: I loved my Family Group and realizing that there are other people like you facing the same challenges .. It was powerful hearing stories of hurts and also the silent affirmation activity. 

POCC / SDLC Houston 2012!

Howdy from Houston where we are attending the annual People of Color Conference (POCC) and the annual Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC). This is a very special year as POCC  is celebrating its 25th year! The theme of the conference this year is Energizing Our Future through Refining our Shared Sense of Community.  There are record numbers of attendes this year including  1387 students from around the nation (plus a few from Austria, Bermuda and the UK).  Here are a few highlights of our first 24 hours at the conference: 

Our festive UA student delegation to SDLC

The Opening session began with a performance by local students

There were several globally themed performances including this Chinese Lion Dance

A Cheerful and Colorful welcome was given by NAIS President, Pat Bassett.

Students from St. John's School of Houston performed a modern Chinese fan dance.

SDLC was opened by the always awesome SDLC Leadership Team.

The Opening Keynote was given by New York Times Columnist, Helene Cooper - She was an inspiration and gave us so many fascinating details about her life and about her work as a journalist covering President Obama.

A local welcome, complete with cowboy boots, was given by Rhonda Durham, Executive Director of ISAS.

Our UA students were eager to begin the day!!!!

Making plans in England

This week I am working in England and visiting our lovely sister school, Ursuline High School in Wimbledon. One major purpose of this trip is to work out the details of the upcoming delegation visits scheduled for 2013. This year, our delegation to England will participate in a summer school class in Dallas before traveling to the UK. The class will be a history class, focused on the Cold War and on events leading up to the Cold War. Then, when the group is in London, they will visit sites related to their studies. Additionally, they will enjoy all of the customary activities of delegations past such as seeing the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace and a lesson in British tea time. The Wimbledon delegation will be hosted by Ursuline High School families as in the past. We will officially announce this wonderful opportunity in late January when we announce all of the summer travel / study opportunities. And, of course, we look forward to having our UK friends on our campus in October of 2013.



 Wimbledon Station

10th grade Ursuline girls - perhaps some will come to Dallas in 2013!

Our sister school is also a red brick building.

Ms. Julia Waters, Principal of Ursuline High School

The Imperial War Museum - We hope that UA students will soon experience it!  





Time to Apply for Spring Travel and Hosting Opportunities!!

China 2012 - This could be you in 2013!

 

Now that we are past Intramurals and all of the Thanksgiving festivities, it's time to look ahead and to think about Spring! Applications are now available in the Global Village for the Spring Delegations to Chile, China and Uganda. Ursuline students of all ages who meet the student delegate criteria (outlined on page 48 of the UA handbook) are encouraged to apply for the Chile and China delegations - Only juniors and seniors may apply for the Uganda delegation.

Also available are applications to be a host student for our friends from Chile and Peru who will arrive in January. Now is the time to apply for all of these awesome opportunities as all applications are due no later than December 7th!

DADYO : Open Dialogue and Politics



The monthly DADYO (Dallas Area Diversity Youth Organization) meeting was held this past week at Jesuit College Prep. Ursuline students were well represented by a large group of enthusiastic young women who were eager to discuss the hot topic of the evening: Open Dialogue and Politics. Since our meeting was held on the day after the Presidential election, it It was a perfect time to reflect on how to respectfully discuss differences of opinion. The Jesuit student leaders centered the discussion around the changing demographics of the USA and showed the PBS documentary America by the Numbers, narrated by journalist Maria Hinojosa. It was an evening of deep discussion and community building - we can't wait for our turn to host DADYO at UA in the Spring! 

 

 

Friends meeting and greeting before the meeting

Socializing with our DADYO pals

A Clip from "America by the Numbers"

Jesuit Students giving instructions to the groups

We had a great evening!

Closing comments and refelctions

 

Spanish Language Students visit the Latino Cultural Center

 

Yesterday, third year Spanish Language students enjoyed Halloween Day with a visit to the Latino Cultural Center of Dallas. The Center is currently celebrating the Mexican tradition of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) with an exhibit of art from the local community. In fact, two of the altars on display came from Spanish language students at Ursuline!  It was a beautiful day, perfect for enjoying the vibrant and thought-provoking exhibit.

  

Welcome to the Centro Cultural Latino!

UA Juniors contemplate one of the larger works

So colorful!

UA students created this altar in memory of the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo



Such an interesting painting in memory of a loved one ...

This altar was dedicated to the Human Rights Activist, Cesar Chavez, and it was also made by UA students

Relaxing after lunch on the patio of the center

A new look for Catrina la Calavera

Learning about the fantastic architecture of the building

Showing a favorite painting :)

Visiting Huaxia Girls' School in Beijing



Of course, no trip to Beijing would be complete without a visit to our sister school, Huaxia Girls' School. Huaxia administrators were kind enough to invite Mr. Miller of NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools)  and me (Ms. Nipp) to spend the day at Huaxia after we finished with our duties at the educational conference. We were treated royally by Huaxia (as always) and we so appreciated the opportunity to spend a day with our old (and new) Beijing friends.

 



 

Paul Miller and Cecilia Nipp with Huaxia administrators, Huang Jie, Hong and Wang Lei.

Enjoying student photos that were taken over the October National Day Holiday

Ms. Nipp pretending to be a Huaxia student in "Driving Simulation" class

Huaxia friends who recently visited UA

Huaxia Girls' School

The roof top greenhouse at Huaxia

School Administrator Hong took us to buy tea (this is Jasmine tea - so fragrant and fabulous!)

Our day ended with a spectacular meal of traditional Peking Duck

ACA Secondary School International Summit, Beijing



This past weekend, I had the honor of speaking at the ACA Secondary School International Summit in Beijing. The summit was part of the 2012 China Annual Conference for International Education which was sponsored by the China Education Association for International Exchange in collaboration with the National Association of Independent Schools (Ursuline Academy of Dallas is a member of NAIS).

 

The Conference was a fantastic event which brought together educators from all over the world including China, the USA, Australia and Canada. The theme of the Secondary School Summit was "Aspiration, Challenge, Action! Education shapes the World: Exploration and Practices in Secondary School Education Internationalization."

 



I spoke as part of a panel on "Diversified Student Exchange Programs." The main topic of my presentation was Ursuline's long-standing educational and cultural exchange with Huaxia Girls' School of Beijing. The talk was very well received and many congratulated Ursuline on the long history and success of our very special relationship with Huaxia. 

 

Paul Miller, Global Programs Director for NAIS, and I (Ms. Nipp) on the first day of the Conference

Mr. Miller made a presentation about the importance of students learning IN the world

Making my presentation about Ursuline & Huaxia 

 

Posing with fellow panel member, Ben Adams of Duke University  

We learned so much about international education from the perspective of many different countries

There was a lovely banquet reception to honor the more than 1000 conference attendees

 

UA Seniors attend Speaker Luncheon

Ursuline Seniors with Roxane Farmanfarmaian

 

Last week, four of our Ursuline seniors had the privilege of attending a very special luncheon sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Dallas / Ft. Worth. The speaker at the luncheon was Dr. Roxane Farmanfarmaian, a specialist on Iran, Iraq and Middle East policy and author of Blood and Oil: A Prince's Memoir of Iran, from the Shah to the Ayatollah. Dr. Farmanfarmaian was a very captivating and informative speaker and our students were honored to meet her after the luncheon.

 

UA students, these types of opportunities are open to all interested UA students and particularly to those who have joined the Junior World Affairs Council Club (aka "Jr. WACS"). Please see Mr. Hoyle, Ms. Middendorf or Ms. Nipp for more information about this wonderful student club!