Irish & American Exchange Application Form - Doane Stuart to Lagan College ______________________________________________________________ The Program History During “The Troubles,” Seamus Hodgkinson, a native of Belfast, left his hometown and ventured off to New York. His trip took him to Albany, the State Capital, where he was employed as a science teacher at a college preparatory school named Doane Stuart. “Mr. H,” as he is more fondly known, envisioned an exchange program that would bring Catholic and Protestant students in Northern Ireland to America. He believed that through this program, the students from Northern Ireland could learn, and share, in a multi-cultural environment, which embodies tolerance, respect and peace. This groundbreaking program brings with it an amazing opportunity. Doane Stuart will send between four and six students from the Upper School at Doane Stuart to Lagan College to participate in classes for one week and to tour the surrounding areas of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Doane Stuart students will have the opportunity to: - Shadow classes with Lagan students. - Attend seminars, including Irish History, Northern Ireland Politics, Irish Language. - Get a true glimpse of Belfast life by being paired off individually with a host family from Lagan, for one week. - Tour Belfast’s places of particular interest, including the peace walls scattered around the city, and local museums. About Lagan College Lagan College was founded in 1981 as a religious response to the challenge of community conflict and a religiously divided school system in Northern Ireland. Since 1974 the All Children together Movement (ACT) had been lobbying the Churches and the Government to take the initiative in educating Protestant and Catholic children together. Religious segregation of school children was almost complete. Practically all Catholic children attended catholic schools. State schools were de facto Protestant. ACT argued that one of the most powerful responses which Christians could give to the charge that the fighting was about religion would be for Protestants and Catholics to educate their children together in the same schools. By 1981 there had been virtually no initiatives from either the Churches or government in the direction of integration at school level. A small group of parents with children at the age of transfer from primary to secondary school decided to take the initiative. With the support of ACT they called a public meeting in February 1981 and founded a new school in September. They called the new school Lagan College after the river which flows through Belfast. It opened in temporary premises at Ardnavally Activity Centre beside the river Lagan in South Belfast, thanks to the hospitality of the Scout Movement. On the first day there were 28 pupils, the Principal, Mrs. Sheila Greenfield, one full-time teacher and five part-time teachers. The college became homeless that Christmas but was able to move in time for the start of the Easter term to a redundant primary school at Castlereagh on a hill-top overlooking Belfast from the South-east for September. From September until Hallowe’en in 1983/4 the new first year pupils, thanks to the hospitality of the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, were taught in the Manor House at Cultra until a new building was ready. For the first three years, the College, which aimed to serve the whole community – rich and poor alike – received no Government funding. Parents of pupils contributed what they could afford towards the costs. Over £500,000 had to be raised, so an appeal for benefactions by private individuals and charitable trusts locally and around the world was launched to bring the College to the point where it could develop into an economically viable institution. Maintained status was granted in 1984. This meant 100% of running costs were met by the Department of Education and the College governors were responsible for 15% of capital expenditure. From 1985 to 1987, again because of accommodation difficulties, the 98 new First Year pupils were taught several miles away from Castlereagh in the Balmoral area of South Belfast in premises shared with the newly opened Forge Integrated Primary School. A permanent home for the College was eventually found not far from Castlereagh at Lisnabreeny, this time thanks to the hospitality of the National trust. The first temporary buildings were opened at Lisnabreeny in September 1987. The travelling between the two, continued until September 1991 when the first phase of the permanent school building was opened. Following new legislation in 1989 concerned with the development of integrated education the then Minister, Dr Brian Mawhinney, the College became a Grant-Maintained Integrated School in 1991. This means that 100% of the costs, recurrent and capital, are now funded directly by the Department of Education for Northern Ireland. As of January 2014, there are 1262 pupils on the Lisnabreeny site with more than 80 teachers. In 2003 Lagan College sought to be considered for a new build programme under the Department of Education’s Private Finance initiative. After many years in the planning, permission was finally granted on 14th April 2011 to complete the permanent buildings on the Lisnabreeny site. Construction work was completed on June 17th 2013 by GRAHAM Construction on a state of the art, multi-million pound facility. This marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in the history of Northern Ireland’s first planned integrated school’s history. It is a source of great encouragement that the initiative to found new integrated schools continues to spread throughout Northern Ireland. Today, there are 62 schools throughout Northern Ireland educating almost 18,000 pupils. The growth in numbers from a base of nil in 1981 has been rapid and it is hoped to extend the number of places available over the next 10 years to 35,000, which would represent 10% of the population. So, you want to go to Northern Ireland... ______________________________________________________________ Who is eligible to apply? The D.S. – Lagan exchange program is open only to Upper School students in good academic standing who have been enrolled at Doane Stuart for more than one school year. Priority will be given to juniors and seniors, and students in these classes whose families have participated in one of our exchange programs as hosts this year, or in the past. (Note: Students must have a valid Passport.) There are some qualities that are vital to the success of the program. We are looking for: • Enthusiasm – You will be expected to be actively involved in our School life, and to want to learn new things, to develop new relationships, and to experience life outside the U.S. • Commitment – You should be committed to academic, social, and community life, and the rich history of service to others, stemming from the School’s rich heritage. • Friendliness –Many people will be interested to speak with you, and to get to know about you. It is important for you to be friendly and outgoing when meeting new people. • Motivation – You will attend school at Lagan for one week of classes; you will be expected to involve yourself in discussion and any assignments. Completing make-up work at Doane Stuart will require coordination in advance! • Ambassadorial Skills– You will serve as a representative of your school, country and family while in Northern Ireland. This is a very exciting opportunity and will present you with experiences to last a lifetime. When is the trip? The exchange trip is expected to leave February 6 and return February 16. Flight schedules may alter the exact dates and times. Below is a tentative schedule: February 6 Depart D.S. for Belfast February 7-11 Stay with host family and attend classes at Lagan College February 12-14 Tour of Belfast and Northern Ireland February 15 Tour of Dublin February 16 Return trip to D.S. Financial Details Students who participate in the exchange program to Lagan, Northern Ireland are expected to cover their own costs. In keeping with Doane Stuart’s mission, limited financial aid is available. If you are interested in this trip, and need help with expenses, you are encouraged to apply for aid. The total estimated cost of the trip is $1,500-$1,600. The main expenses, which you and your family will have to pay, are as follows: • Flights –Estimated cost is $700. • Transportation – Estimated cost is $200 • Hotel/ Hosts – Current Lagan College families are being coordinated to act as hosts February 7-11, when we are attending classes at the School. The host family will provide breakfast and dinner each day. The trip will require hotel lodging; costs are estimated at $120 per night, for a total of $480 for the four nights that we are not staying with host families. • Medical – Medical Insurance is necessary. Please check with your insurance carrier for international coverage. • Personal Expenses – It is expected that you bring your own money to cover things such as: clothes, eating out, souvenirs, bus fare, entry fees, and all other personal spending. Other Information The exchange trip will be chaperoned by a Doane Stuart faculty member. All students selected for the exchange trip are expected to follow the rules in the Doane Stuart Student Handbook. February 2016 Irish & American Exchange Application Form - Doane Stuart to Lagan College ______________________________________________________________ Full Name: Email Address: Religious Background: Have you been a host family? ESSAYS: Please submit, on a separate piece of paper (typed and double spaced): What do you hope to gain by participating in the Irish & American Exchange Program? What do you believe you will add to the Exchange Program? A valid passport is required for all trip participants. Submit your application, essay, and a copy of your passport to the Admission Office no later than Thursday, October 22 If selected, I approve my son/ daughter to travel with a chaperone from the Doane Stuart School, to Belfast, Northern Ireland, February 6-16.