Global Education

Katie Ruhe ’25 was recently honored as a Gen Z Future Leader by Jewish Family Services (JFS) of Greenwich for her outstanding dedication to supporting refugees and immigrants. What began as an AP World History project interview with a Ukrainian refugee ignited a deep, ongoing commitment to service that has defined her years at King. Through her volunteer work with JFS, Katie has led initiatives including welcome basket drives and has helped preserve refugee narratives, contributing to King’s “Empowering Voices” project and the Fortunoff Video Archive at Yale. Beyond her service, she plays an active role in the King School community as a club founder, student leader, athlete, and mentor. Her work exemplifies the power of compassion and understanding to drive meaningful change.

Grade 6 Spanish students deepened their language proficiency, storytelling abilities, and cultural understanding through a project-based lesson centered on the Chilean legend of the Chanchito de Chile, which centers around a small, three-legged pig believed to bring good luck and protection. After learning about the cultural significance of the piglet through Spanish stories, students crafted clay chanchitos and wrote narratives using vocabulary and grammar they had studied throughout the year. The project included reading, writing, speaking, and listening assessments aligned with American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages standards, and led to a heartwarming presentation to lower school students, where the handmade figurines, symbolic of resilience and luck, were shared.

Cheers and applause filled the Grade 5 history classroom on Monday, April 28, as Tyler Sanchez ’32 brought his vision to life by hosting the first-ever Grade 5 Geography Bee. After proposing the idea in January, Tyler worked closely with teacher Helen Santoro to design and plan the event, writing nearly 100 challenging questions and shaping an engaging format that kept his classmates on the edge of their seats. During the event, student teams competed through exciting elimination rounds filled with questions on landmarks, cities, states, and geology. More than just a competition, the Geography Bee was a celebration of student voice, curiosity, and the power of following one's passion, leaving the grade inspired and energized by what may become a beloved new tradition at King.

King School’s Topics in Global Studies class took on the complex balance between national security and press freedom, using the recent Signal app leak as a real-world case study. Guided by Director of Global Education Laura Bowe and former journalist Adriana Hauser, students explored the ethical challenges faced by the media when handling sensitive information. Discussions focused on whistleblowers, misinformation, and the rigorous process journalists take to verify controversial stories. The session highlighted King’s commitment to connecting classroom learning with current global events and critical thinking.

The annual Grade 8 cultural exchange program between King School and the Greenwich Japanese School (GJS) continues to build connections and global understanding. Following King students' visit to GJS in December, this year’s program concluded on Thursday, January 9, with King students welcoming their GJS peers for a full day of events and activities. The exchange provides real-world insights into global citizenship, leaving students and educators inspired by the connections forged across cultural boundaries.

Upper school students took a look at democracy on a global level in October, unpacking the intricacies of electoral processes, governance, and sustainable development across diverse countries. Guided by Laura Bowe, King’s Director of Global Education, the Introduction to Global Studies class explored 2024 elections worldwide — examining fairness, transparency, and the impact of governance on citizens' lives. From studying electoral challenges in Venezuela to discussing AI's role in election security, students gained unique insights into how political frameworks shape communities. Guest speakers offered firsthand perspectives, helping students better understand the power and limits of democratic systems while gaining a fresh perspective on civic engagement prior to the U.S. presidential election.

King’s commitment to Global Education extends beyond the classroom. Yearly travel opportunities enrich middle and upper school students' knowledge and broaden their worldview. This summer, international experiences brought rising ninth graders to Costa Rica, where they immersed themselves in the local culture and environment and participated in service-learning activities supporting the Orphaned Starfish Foundation. Upper school students embraced art, history, and culture on the Global Art traversing across multiple European cities.

During King's Summer Institute programs, students honed their skills, explored new subjects, and, as importantly, had lots of fun. The program offered a dynamic learning experience for students of all ages. Fun Camp immersed Kindergarten to Grade 5 students in a world of creativity, physical challenges, and exploration through STEAM-based activities and engaging field trips. Students in middle and high school explored their passions and accelerated their academic journeys with specialized courses in mathematics, global studies, and beyond.

Continuing an annual tradition, Grade 8 students welcomed peers from The Greenwich Japanese School on Wednesday, January 10, as part of their Cultural Exchange Program. The meeting marked a decade of exchanges and provided a valuable opportunity for students to examine the similarities and differences between the two communities.