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Global Young Scholars Programs are developed and implemented by Washington
Community Education, Inc. (www.wceusa.org). GYS Programs are specifically
designed to promote healthy multicultural, educational experiences for both
international and local students.
GYS Programs require the ongoing team efforts of the following community and
global partners: Washington Community Education (WCE), select international
student agencies, competent local educational advisors and tutors, caring child
care workers and court-appointed voluntary guardians, and the most select local
schools. In order to provide the students with the most enlightening educational
and cultural experience in the Washington area, GYS Programs require the active
support of the
community and global partners.
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WCE staff assists international students who desire to study in the United
States to identify and obtain admission to their desired schools. The staff
thoroughly investigates the U.S. schools that are approved by the U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services (www.uscis.gov) to accept international
students. The staff also reviews and evaluates the international students’ English language skills and academic standings. Then, the staff provides the needed information and recommendations to the international students and their families so that they can choose the right schools.
The staff works closely with the students’ families, professionals, agencies, and select schools to help international students obtain U.S. student visas to enter and study in the United States. Professionals and agencies may include, but are not limited to, competent U.S. immigration attorneys, U.S. school officials, and international student and visa agencies in foreign countries.
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WCE selects only the highest quality U.S. schools for our international
students. Schools must be fully accredited, and they must boast a long history
of providing excellent and challenging curricula that helps students to excel
both personally and academically. These select schools and their students
continue to be recognized for their excellence through numerous academic, arts,
athletic, and performance awards. For example, Charlottesville Catholic School
is a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Award winner. This prestigious
Blue Ribbon is awarded annually to only 50 private schools out of the 29,000
private schools in the United States.
WCE chooses schools that produce students who consistently outperform their
peers on the leading standardized tests, such as the TerraNova Achievement Test
and the SAT Reasoning Test. Indeed, these select schools command scores that are
the envy of other U.S. schools. Yet WCE’s concern is not confined to academics alone: we choose only schools that feature a friendly and peaceful environment that is conducive to learning. The students enjoy the safe and serene smaller communities that house these select schools. Because these schools are located just outside of Washington, D.C., students also have an easy and unique opportunity to experience the rich, dynamic culture of the thriving national capital city.
Most of the students who attend the schools selected by WCE are American. Due to
their fast pace and challenging curricula, these select schools are able to
accept only a few international students. WCE provides these international
students necessary after-school ESL/ESOL and other academic support in order to
ensure that they are able to excel with their talented American peers.
The select schools warmly welcome academically ambitious and mature international students in an effort to promote positive global and multicultural diversity in education. This will give international students an opportunity to absorb the dynamic American culture and education while enhancing the schools’ diversity with their own presence.
WCE advisors will work closely with the international students, their families, international student agencies, and others as needed in order to assist with the selection of the most appropriate schools for the individual international students. WCE advisors will also assist with the international students’ admissions processes by working closely with the students’ families and the select U.S. schools. Ultimately, the U.S. schools have the discretion to determine which individual international students they will admit.
Contact one of the WCE advisors today to start the search for the right U.S. school and to receive the necessary information to make an intelligent choice.
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The WCE staff is a group of caring and competent educational specialists. They provide academic guidance and support specifically customized for international students. All GYS students are required to attend the WCE After-School Learning Center to be tutored, mentored, and guided in all core subjects. Students are provided limited supplemental assistance with school homework.
Elementary and middle school students are required to participate actively in the High School Honors Preparatory Program. They receive assistance preparing for the Secondary School Admissions Test / Independent School Entrance Examination (SSAT/ISEE). They also learn to master writing admissions essays for the independent and magnet secondary schools.
Mature middle and high school students are required to participate actively in the Advanced College Preparatory Program. The ACP curriculum includes up to AP® (Advanced Placement) subjects in English Language, English Literature, and Calculus AB/BC. Students receive assistance preparing for the major U.S.A. college entrance examinations such as TOEFL® iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language™), PSAT/NMSQT®, and the SAT Reasoning Test™. They also prepare for the SAT Subject Tests™ in English, Mathematics, and Science. Students learn to write effective and persuasive college entrance examination essays as well as admissions essays.
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All GYS students are strongly encouraged to participate in meaningful charity community volunteer activities. Selected GYS students can serve as Student Leaders of WCE. Their primary responsibilities are to tutor and mentor younger kids in the Washington area. They also assist in coordinating fundraising activities that generate money to be donated to UNICEF (www.unicef.org) and American Red Cross (www.redcross.org). The UNICEF is the United Nations Children's Fund that helps children living in poverty in developing countries. The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization that helps millions of families and their children each year prevent, prepare for, and cope with emergencies.
Through these generous, self-sacrificing community services, GYS students can
enrich their personal American life experiences and enhance their personal
confidence and skills. Therefore, WCE Student Leaders will acquire experiences
and competencies that will help them become Global Leaders of Tomorrow.
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GYS students go on field trips to U.S. national historical and cultural sites such as the Smithsonian Museums, including the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and the National Museum of Natural History. Students also visit the national monuments, including the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and the World War II Memorial. To provide a hands-on national capitol cultural education, students will visit several internationally renowned sites such as the World Bank, the White House, the United States Capitol Building, and the Washington Post.
In order to motivate all GYS students to obtain higher education, the GYS
Program will enable them to visit U.S. universities such as Johns Hopkins,
Georgetown, the University of Virginia, and Harvard. The students will also
experience real university lifestyles by interacting with university students
and faculty members as well as by using the university facilities and
accommodations. After personally visiting and experiencing the nation’s top universities, students will be more enlightened. They will also be inspired to study more diligently while in elementary and secondary schools so that they will be able to enter such elite universities.
Students have many opportunities to experience rich American culture personally by visiting historical neighborhoods in Washington, D.C., such as Georgetown, as well as by visiting traditional, small USA towns. These field trips to various towns will help students develop a realistic and holistic picture of the United States and its dynamic and vibrant cultures.
GYS students will also experience American culture by making new friends at their schools and by becoming acquainted with a diverse group of people living and working in the United States. Since WCE believes that students can obtain the optimum American educational and cultural experience from associating with American people, all students will be encouraged to meet, interact, and study with Americans throughout their entire stay in the United States. WCE staff will coordinate and monitor minor students’ meetings of people.
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Mr. C. “Steven” Pak (president of WCE) must receive signed and notarized legal documents from the students’ parents that appoint him as the power of attorney and/or legal guardian to the minor international students. The original power of attorney and/or legal guardianship document(s) must be received or mailed before the students arrive in the United States.
As the primary caretaker and educational advisor, Mr. Pak counsels, plans, coordinates, and supervises students’ school, academic, extracurricular, and after school activities. As the primary caretaker, Mr. Pak also has the authority to make personal health and medical treatment decisions on behalf of the students.
In any significant academic, social, health, or medical situations, Mr. Pak makes the best effort to consult directly with the students’ parents and obtain specific directions from the parents before making final decisions.
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WCE staff assists Mr. Pak (the students’ primary caretaker) in coordinating, monitoring, and providing the necessary living arrangements regarding students’ housing, meals, and transportation. WCE staff members who directly work with the students on a daily basis also serve as the caretakers.
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WCE staff maintains ongoing communication with the students, host families, school officials, teachers, educational advisors, international student agencies, and others involved in the students’ academic and personal lives. This ongoing communication is required so that the staff can learn of the advancement and circumstances of students in order to draft meaningful progress reports. The students’ written progress reports are prepared on a monthly basis. This high level of regular communication enables the staff to understand students and to inform parents properly of their children’s academic and linguistic progress as well as of their personal living conditions.
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The cost
of U.S.
tuition
and fees
varies
from one school to another. Families should expect to pay from U.S. $10,000 to $20,000 for annual school tuition
and consulting fees. WCE advisors
consult with families about the costs of various schools
so that the families can choose schools
within their budgets.
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- ESL / ESOL / Pre-TOEFL Customized Instruction and Planning
- Academic and Supplemental School Counseling and Planning
- After School Tutoring and Mentoring Assistance
- Personal Activities Counseling and Coordination
- Gifted and Honors Preparatory Counseling, Planning, and Courses
Estimated Annual Fee: U.S. $10,000.00 to $15,000.00
GYS Program II (6th ~ 12th Grade)
- ESL / ESOL / TOEFL Customized Instruction and Planning
- Academic and Supplemental School Counseling and Planning
- After School Tutoring and Mentoring Assistance
- Community and Personal Activities Counseling and Coordination
- Advanced College Preparatory Counseling, Planning, and Courses
Estimated Annual Fee: U.S. $10,000.00 to $15,000.00
The final agreed upon costs of education-related services are dependent upon the amount, type, and level of academic accommodations, counseling, tutoring, musical lessons, and other educational support expected by the students’ parents and actually provided to the students.
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Personal Care Living Arrangements, Including Housing, Meals, and Transportation.
Estimated Annual Fee: U.S. $15,000.00 to $25,000.00
The final agreed upon costs of personal care and living arrangements (including
housing, meals, and transportation) are dependent upon the level of
accommodations, attention, medical care, and other personal support expected by
the students’ parents and actually provided to the students. Families should expect to pay from U.S. $15,000.00 to $25,000.00 for annual living assistance.
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Global Young Scholars' families must provide accidental and health care plans
(such as health insurance) for their own children. Students’ parents (not U.S. guardians and schools) are also responsible for any and all health care and medical expenses not covered by their plans. Proper receipts and medical documentation will be provided in a timely manner to the families.
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Global Young Scholars’ families must determine the amount of personal allowance money for their children and provide it to the students through designated GYS staff members or guardians. GYS Programs advisors strongly recommend that the students not be given large amounts of allowance money. Even during special occasions—such as birthdays and Christmas—students should be given a maximum of US $250.00.
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Any and all miscellaneous expenses are reported to the students’ parents. The parents are responsible for paying or reimbursing these expenses in a timely manner.
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If you have any questions, please contact us.
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