Citizens of the World

Students who graduate in the 21st century need a global perspective in order to:

Assure their personal economic security

Better appreciate their own culture

Work collaboratively with others

Become leaders


Btcv 4

The Global Perspectives Program at CIS spans all grade levels and strives to prepare our students for the world by incorporating these perspectives into:

  • Curriculum
  • Methodology
  • Resources,
  • School-wide initiatives

From modern language and Latin classes to continent study and cultural arts day, students are introduced to many places and cultures.

Lower School

  • Students in kindergarten through 5th grade are assigned a continent that is thoroughly studied and implemented in curriculum throughout the year.
  • Junior kindergarten through 2nd grade participated in a global challenge presented by Students Rebuild, which asked students to make a bookmark for students in other countries.
  • Fifth grade celebrates ‘Africa Time’ every Friday where special guests in the Columbia community who are from, have lived, or visited a country on the continent, come and share their cross-cultural experiences.
  • Second grade invited students, families, and guests to bring in food from different countries.
  • In 2015, students in grades 2-5 participated in a very successful drive for Heifer International’s Read to Feed program, raising over $4,600!.

Middle School

  • For their class field trip, 8th graders travel to Heifer International Ranch in Perryville, Arkansas to learn about global poverty and hunger.
  • In 2015, 6th grade students started a global perspectives group, which strives to learn about global issues and apply them through local service projects.
  • All students have the opportunity to think globally and act locally, visiting Tybee Island every summer to learn more about environmental science.

Upper School

  • Students have the opportunity to take part in international service projects each year through Be the Change Volunteers (BTCV). Members of the rising senior class of 2017 traveled to Papua New Guinea in June 2016 where they helped construct school housing for teachers.
  • In 2018 and 2019 upper school students returned to Peru where they continued to build a school and deepen relationships begun the prior year.
  • Past BTCV trips have gone to South Africa, India, Guatemala, Malawi, and Peru.

School-Wide

  • Students elect to take French, Mandarin, or Spanish for their modern language. Additionally, Latin is offered in middle and upper school.
  • The library has its very own Global Perspectives Program (GPP) section for all ages to explore. The book themes change monthly along with the titles!
  • CIS hosts a number of international and exchange students, and gives domestic students the opportunity to travel abroad.