NHS Interdisciplinary Global Engagement Pathway Recognized as a Program of Excellence
NHS Interdisciplinary Global Engagement Pathway Recognized as a Program of Excellence
NPS Communications
The Connecticut State Department of Education has recognized Norwalk High School’s Interdisciplinary Global Engagement Pathway (IGEP) as a Program of Excellence for both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years.
Stephen Armstrong, the Social Studies Consultant for the state’s education department, presented the Global Competencies Certificate to IGEP Coordinator Caitlin Engle at the Norwalk Board of Education meeting on Oct. 12. Engle was joined by several students in the program as well as NHS Principal Dr. Lynne Moore.
The Global Competencies Certificate honors students and programs that promote global and civic awareness. The three criteria for the certificate are student grades, student involvement in extracurricular activities, and a project that students must do.
The state department of education’s selection committee for the Global Competencies Certificate is composed of university professors, high school and middle school teachers, and people in the civic community. Upon receiving the submissions from the NHS program the past two years, Armstrong said the committee was “blown away.”
“The work that’s been done through this program at Norwalk High School is statewide superior to any entries that we had,” Armstrong told the Norwalk BOE. “Everyone in this room should be proud of this program and the kids that are involved in this program.”
The goal of the IGE Pathway is for students to become globally competent citizens through world-wide exploration, recognition of global perspectives, communication to diverse audiences and the drive to take action to initiate change.
When students travel, they expand their knowledge of the world around them, discover more about themselves, and grow more confident. These skills are critical for creating the global citizens of tomorrow. This year, student trips are planned for Spain, Eastern Europe, and Ireland and Scotland.
Students who successfully complete the IGE Pathway requirements are eligible to apply for the Connecticut Certificate of Global Engagement. Students can also apply their project to their Capstone requirement for graduation.