As an international school, one key core value at St. Mary’s is harmony, where people live peacefully and equally regardless of their nationality or background. Over the summer break, high school students will have an opportunity for a 10-day Nepal trip, where students will work with the local community to build a basketball court at a local Nepali school. Not only will students make a real-life difference for the local school children, but students can also experience different cultures, build meaningful connections, and learn what it really means to have a “global mindset”. Although the details of the trip are still to be decided, the trip will take place sometime in mid-July and will last for 10 days. On top of the main event of building a court, students will also have the opportunity to interact with locals, participate in cultural events, and visit famous sites of Nepal.
Made possible through partnering with Courts for Kids
St. Mary’s has partnered with Court for Kids, a non-profit organization that builds soccer and basketball courts in local schools in underdeveloped countries. Founded in 2006 in Washington state, USA, Court for Kids has collaborated with over 33 countries and constructed over 266 courts, giving an oppurtunity for children in economically underdeveloped countries to have an oppurtunity to play sports and have fun. The organization works with high schools and universities in the United States to plan and execute meaningful service trips primarily for teenagers and young adults. According to Mr. Douglas, the coordinator and supervisor of the trip, St. Mary’s is the first school outside of the United States to partner with this organization. Additionally, it is one of the first cases for the organization to work in Nepal, as most service trips typically take place in Central or South America.
Why students should join
St.Mary’s and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB) both emphasize one key value: having an international mindset to foster diversity, growth, and service both in and outside of school. Mr.Douglas also emphasized the importance of service beyond the classroom. “I find that very few students have significant experiences or accomplishments outside of the classroom. I believe there is a genuine need for SMIS students to have the opportunity to partake in a service trip that broadens their horizons and exposes them to new cultures while allowing them to immerse themselves in a different community,” he said. Additionally, as a teacher currently teaching grade 12 students, he explained that many universities around the world highly value service and international mindedness, and this is where he decided to reach out to Courts for Kids. “I had a connection from back in the States, specifically Vancouver, Washington, where colleagues participated in a program called Courts for Kids.”
Overall, not only will this trip be a fun and meaningful experience for students at St. Mary’s, but it will also provide an opportunity for students to represent the core values of St. Mary’s beyond the classroom while fostering their international mindset by making an impactful, real-life difference.
