News Archive

Going Global

Student exchange offers a world of opportunity
You may have heard the saying: “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” Shawnigan’s long-standing tradition of sending students around the globe on academic exchange is one way of sending well-rounded graduates out into the world. More than travel, more than school, and more than adventure, going on exchange can be life-altering. “It is remarkable to see the effect it has on our young people,” notes program coordinator and Senior Master Rhodri Samuel. “Even in a short period of time, they develop a great deal of self-reliance and self-confidence, and they come back able to maneuver differently in the world.”
 
Shawnigan has a number of reciprocal arrangements in place with schools in Montreal, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Chile, Japan, and France. Global exchanges are typically taken by students in grades 9 and 10, and are open to individuals, pairs, and groups of students. The group exchanges to France and Japan take place during school breaks, and the individual and pair exchanges usually take place between January and mid-March. Currently, six Shawnigan students are on exchange in New Zealand and Australia.
 
In an individual exchange, students are paired with an international student who returns on exchange to Shawnigan later in the same year. While on exchange, Shawnigan students may live in host family homes or live in a boarding house, depending on the school. Exchange students coming to Shawnigan live in a boarding house and spend school breaks with their host family. With reciprocal exchanges, the only extra costs to going on exchange are plane tickets, pocket money, and optional excursions.
 
Who makes a good candidate for exchange? “We look for students who show a certain maturity and poise,” says Mr. Samuel. “Someone who shows a willingness to wander outside their comfort zone.” Students also need to demonstrate a certain degree of academic independence, and most students selected tend to have high GPAs, with an average of 80% or better. In the past, worries about missing time away from class because of provincial exam schedules deterred some students from even applying to go on exchange. But changes to the provincial curriculum, plus the added benefits of staying connected through technology and having a Shawnigan study buddy back in the classroom, make going away on exchange easier than ever.  
 
Beyond helping students develop character and step towards independence, the benefits of going on exchange are far-reaching. Learning in another country is fun, offers out-of-the-ordinary experiences and friendships, and develops language, cultural knowledge, and an expanded sense of our global community that are hard to get otherwise. Global experience also offers a very practical and important benefit: “For post-secondary schools and future employers, it shows that you bring something unique,” adds Mr. Samuel. “That you are willing to take risks and step outside your comfort zone at a young age demonstrates that you have the curiosity and acumen it takes to be a leader.”
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We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.