Academy strengthens ties with partner school in Saipan

LISS

Officials from the Ladera International School of Saipan, the Korean
Broadcasting System and Northwest's Missouri Academy of Science,
Mathematics and Computing pose with University President Dean L.
Hubbard (left) prior to a luncheon meeting in the J.W. Jones Student Union.
Pictured to Hubbard's left are LISS Vice President Sung Yun Anne Kim;
LISS President Yong Nam Park; Dr. Cleo Samudzi, dean of the Missouri
Academy; and Cho Young Jin of KBS.

The president and vice president of the Ladera International School of Saipan visited the Northwest campus for several days during the week of Sept. 10 for meetings with President Dean L. Hubbard and Dr. Cleo Samudzi, dean of the Missouri Academy of Science, Mathematics and Computing.

LISS is a private school serving students through the 10^th grade located on the island capital of the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas. The institution recently entered into an exclusive relationship with the Missouri Academy and works to recruit prospects interested in the Academy's two-year residential program for gifted high school-age students.

The connection is already yielding positive results, and the Academy's 2007-'08 entering class includes the first contingent of international students in its history.

Twelve students, all recruited by LISS in Korea, are now members of the "Vanguards" class scheduled to graduate with Academy diplomas and associate degrees from Northwest in spring 2009.

Accompanying LISS President Yong Nam Park and Vice President Sung Yun Anne Kim to Northwest was Young Jin Cho of the Korean Broadcasting System. Cho was shooting video for a planned documentary about educational opportunities for young Koreans, especially in the areas of mathematics, science and technology.

Park said he learned about the Missouri Academy through the parent of a Northwest student, and came to believe that building a special relationship would benefit both schools.

The Missouri Academy has shared curriculum and instruction information with LISS and offered insights into developing gifted students so that they reach their full potential. For its part, LISS is acting as the Academy's Asian recruiter and has created exchange opportunities for Northwest faculty.

Park said LISS is also considering special classes that will prepare students for the Missouri Academy's rigorous curriculum as well as other academic opportunities in mathematics, science and technology at upper-level schools in Korea and elsewhere.

This summer, Dr. Francie Christopher, who directs the English Language Learners program within Northwest's College of Education and Human Services, traveled to the LISS campus in Saipan for a 10-day training and assessment session. She was accompanied by two in-service teachers from metropolitan Kansas City working toward completion of ELL certificates from the University.

For more information, please contact:

Anthony Brown,
News Bureau Manager
E-Mail: abrown@nwmissouri.edu
Phone (660) 562-1704
Fax (660) 562-1900

Northwest Missouri State University
219 Administration Building,
800 University Drive
Maryville, MO 64468

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