In our increasingly interconnected world, a global education is important: not only to make students aware of the cultures and customs of other countries, but also to help students be open and appreciate these cultures. The proposed Global Scholar Program would be a step towards preparing Naperville Central students for this globalized society, and the editorial board unanimously supports this plan.

We are excited that many Central students expressed interest in this program but disappointed that District 203 rejected its pilot. We hope that the district’s current decision will be reconsidered in the future and that with more time and improvements it can be approved. The lessons it would offer would be valuable.

This program would “pop the Naperville bubble”: as teenagers we need to look beyond the community we live in, which represents only a small piece of the world. Editorial board members have taken some of the classes that fulfill the Global Scholar program requirement, like International Relations, and they have learned about issues affecting the world today and the need for a joint effort among countries in search of solutions. A class like this brings us closer to the experiences of other countries and encourages an open mind.

We believe the Global Scholar program would help students to be culturally sensitive and accepting of all different cultures. It is not feasible for a student to learn the nuances of every  culture in the world, and that is not what we believe the program tries to do. By learning about other cultures, we will feel more comfortable in a global arena, unafraid of the unknown. In the meantime, we hope the objectives of this program will seep into non-Global Scholar courses, promoting a greater understanding of other cultures. For example, more world literature can be incorporated into English classes, moving to literary works beyond the traditional Shakespeare.

At the completion of the Global Scholar program, a student would receive a certificate. The concern of the district is that this certificate would not be recognized by higher education institutions if it does not receive an Illinois state backing. This is something that the heads of the program, Seth Brady and Randall Smith, are working towards, and we hope they are successful in their effort, not only for the benefit of Central students but also for Illinois’ high school students as a whole. No matter the outcome, the objectives of this program are important and necessary, and even without a final certificate the experience and the opportunity the Global Scholar program would offer would be useful for our futures.