ESL Teacher Will Visit China as Fund for Teachers Fellow

Anne Tomalin, an ESL teacher at Chapel Hill High School, will be spending nearly two weeks in China this June, as a Fund for Teachers Fellow. The $5,000 grant covers the cost of a UNC World View Global Study program called “China: Traditions, Trends and Transformations,” which will allow Tomalin to learn about the country’s educational practices, as well as its culture and language. She hopes to “spark ideas” for ways to better support her Asian refugee students at Chapel Hill High. Although she has taught English language learners for 21 years in our district, she said that with the changing demographics in her classroom, she has felt called to adapt “not only how I teach but what I teach.”
     

Anne Tomalin

The scores on state end-of-course exams have been consistently low for the English learner (EL) students at the high school level, with only 7% scoring proficient in English II at Chapel Hill High last year. The low performance is a complex problem that requires a multi-faceted approach, said Tomalin. “I believe one missing piece of the puzzle is that we don’t have sufficient knowledge of their cultural and educational background, and how that background influences the way they learn. Without this knowledge, we aren’t able to provide them with culturally responsive instruction.”
   
“By observing a completely different educational setting, I hope to cultivate the ability to think outside of the box about how best to serve the needs of our district's EL students," she added.
     
The 2018 Fund for Teachers awards, $2.1 million total, will provide self-designed experiences for 546 educators in the U.S. One of the distinctive aspects of these grants is that they must embrace initiatives to address specific achievement gaps with students and/or with teachers themselves. Salma Zaky, Program Officer for Fund for Teachers, wrote in an email to Tomalin, “From thousands of applications from across the country, your proposal stood out as one that will bring relevant knowledge and skills back to your students.”
     
In her proposal, Tomalin noted that the number of Asian refugees in the district has demanded new approaches to teaching English, since many have arrived with weak academic skills due to interrupted schooling in the refugee camps, in addition to having very little English proficiency. In China, she hopes to gain insights into ways that our educational practices might be a mismatch for some Asian students’ learning styles.
     
Tomalin knew about the UNC organization, World View Global Study, and she chose to apply for the grant in order to cover the costs of the UNC trip to China. Included in the experience is a two-day Professional Development seminar prior to traveling abroad, twelve days of travel in China, as well as a follow-up workshop. The pre- and post- workshops are designed to help participants integrate what they’ve learned during their travels when they return to the classroom.
   
“During the trip I'll blog about my observations and experiences. I'll encourage my students to follow me while I do it, because I think it'll be meaningful for them to see a teacher experience a bit of what they contend with every day - that is, being in an alien environment with limited ability to communicate.”
   
Follow Tomalin on her learning adventure in June!    #FFTFellow

https://travel4learningblog.wordpress.com/

Fund for Teachers strengthens instruction by investing in outstanding teachers' self-determined professional growth and development in order to support student success, enrich their own practice, and strengthen their schools and communities.

http://www.fundforteachers.org/

Smith Mathcounts Team - State Champions!

On Friday, March 23, the Smith Middle School MathCounts Team traveled to the NC School of Science and Math in Durham for the MathCounts State Finals.  The Cyclones team came in as one of the favorites - having finished in the top three for seven straight years now, but knowing it was going to be very competitive this year.

Smith won thanks to a very strong Team Round in which they were the only school to get eight of the 10 problems correct.

Student team members include Leo DeJong, Ben Li, Bo Chi, and Michael Dai, and the team is coached by Smith math teachers, Boyd Blackburn and Rachel Haber.

In addition, Ben Li was the individual winner of the Countdown Round which is a fast-paced event in which you try to be the first to buzz in with the correct answer.

In addition, Leo DeJong finished 3rd individually which means he will be one of the four students representing North Carolina at the National MathCounts competition (live-streamed on ESPN) in Washington, DC in May.  Dr. Blackburn will coach the North Carolina team.

Smith's arch-rival, Carnage Middle School in Raleigh, finished second. Phillips Middle School also had a good day, finishing seventh in the state. The Phillips team is coached by Angela Short.

Congratulations to all of our Smith and Phillips MathCounts competitors.

Cisco Networking Academy Offers Opportunity

If you ask most parents and students in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools about the Cisco Networking Academy courses for high school students, unfortunately you’ll hear, “Cisco What?” But if Jennifer Walker and her colleagues at Chapel Hill High have their way, the pathways within the Academy of Information Technology (AOIT) will soon be recognized throughout the district - and beyond. Walker is both passionate and tireless in her work with Cisco NetAcad, and to hear her talk about current and future projects is to recognize she’s barely gotten started as a mentor and teacher.
   
Within a couple years, labor analysts in the U.S. predict there’ll be over one million more tech jobs than qualified applicants to fill them. And the salary for many of these tech jobs? Often in the $80,000 to $110,000 range. It’s surprising that more high school students aren’t standing in line to enroll in these information technology (IT) pathways.
   
How are Chapel Hill High’s AOIT and Cisco Networking Academy courses laying foundations for students to join the ranks of the “quickly employed” tech workers? Students can now choose two Cisco course pathways, either CET (computer engineering technology) or NET (network engineering technology). Upon completion of the specialized courses in either pathway, students can sit for rigorous and prestigious industry certifications before graduating from high school. The district will even pay for one certification exam voucher for each student.     
     
The AOIT is housed at Chapel Hill High, but it’s open to all CHCCS high school students who can travel from their home schools to take the academy classes. The Cisco Networking Academy is an international training program accessible through universities, community colleges, and some high schools. It provides the curriculum and hands-on lab experiences for students, as well as resources to deliver and extend IT training for instructors.  From this framework, Walker provides students with an ever-growing range of activities, information about opportunities to apply skills outside the classroom, and she works with AOIT to provide internships. Cisco's IT Essentials in the Computer Engineering courses provides training in hardware, software, and troubleshooting skills, while preparing students for CompTIA A+ certification. Cisco's CCNA (Certified Cisco Network Associate) Routing and Switching curriculum is used in the Network Engineering courses, training students in the process of data transmission, network design, device configuration, and troubleshooting, while preparing students for the Cisco CCENT (Certified Cisco Entry Networking Technician) and CCNA certifications.
     
Walker teaches all of the Computer Engineering and Network Engineering courses at Chapel Hill High, and her enthusiasm about the Cisco curriculum and its enduring benefits to students is apparent in the first few minutes of conversation. She’s a true believer, based on more than fifteen years in the IT field, as well as ten years in previous instructional positions. The keyword for her is “Opportunity,” and she loves to reel off the many opportunities students can pursue to sharpen their networking and engineering skill sets.
     
Earning one or both of the “certs” by graduation is the crown jewel of Cisco NetAcad participation, but all of the students who complete one of the pathways are well-qualified to work in IT, right out of high school. In this district, as Walker notes, most students will continue to a four year university, but some NetAcad graduates pursue classes at community colleges, or take their skills into the military. “Even without the certs, by completing these courses, students can transfer their skill sets into any profession,” said Walker.
     
“Cisco Networking Academy is a very useful program that teaches you a lot about computer engineering and networking,” said Dhruv Patel, who’s currently taking both Computer Engineering 2 and Networking Engineering 1. “Paired with the lab work Ms.Walker sets up, it prepares you for the CompTIA A+ and the CCENT certifications and gives you skills for practical use, at home and on the job.”
     
Walker’s students frequently take advantage of service-learning opportunities, both in-district and in the community. “I say to them all the time, Use your skills for good.”
     
This year, she and Darren Bell, manager of the CHCCS Community Connection Program, have collaborated to create the Tiger Tech Squad with more than 35 of Walker’s students. The Squad will soon operate as a Chromebook service depot, beginning with tech support for the Career and Technical Education staff at Chapel Hill High, but they will expand that support in the future.
     
Walker encourages her students to earn service-learning hours - plus invaluable Real World experience - at events like Volunteer Night at the Kramden Institute in the Research Triangle Park. Students provide assistance to local residents through Kramden, performing tasks like desktop refurbishing and monitor testing.
     
“It’s great for these students to see their skill set has value. In three hours, you can give people something that can change their lives,” said Walker. “Students say, 'But it’s so easy to swap out a hard drive,' and I say - to you it is!”
     
Beyond the service opportunities touted by Walker, she is constantly sharing news about internships and scholarships for summer study. Her Twitter feed @LearnITWalker is a goldmine for students in search of (there’s that word again) opportunities: cybersecurity workshops, Virtual Reality instruction and UNC’s Imagine Lab are just a few of the recent links or posts shared.
     
Walker also brings in a regular slate of tech speakers from Lenovo, Cisco and other industry giants in the area, as well as creates informative field trips for students to observe and experience a range of IT professionals in action.
     
Liz Anderton is a sophomore in Computer Engineering Technology 1, and she described how fortunate she feels to have landed in the NetAcad, even as one of the few young women in Walker’s classes. “It can be a little intimidating being the only female in a class, but it’s interesting because sometimes they (her male classmates) just think differently.” Anderton said that she’s very shy and has tended to dislike group work in previous classes, but she thrives in the team-learning format of Walker’s class. “This experience has helped me be more open in general. Everyone is really encouraging, and it’s been amazing.”
     
Anderton moved to Chapel Hill from Tennessee before ninth grade. “There was never anything like this where I lived before,” she said. “Kids don’t realize how lucky they are to have these programs. And if more people sign up for NetAcad, we can grow and do even more things.”


The Cisco Networking Academy celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2017. According to its website “since 2005, more than 1.6 million students who have completed advanced courses have gotten new jobs thanks to Cisco Networking Academy. In the United States, 30 percent of enrolled students are underrepresented minorities (African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, or American Indian/Alaska Native), and numerous academies specifically serve military service members, veterans, and their families. Additionally, Cisco Networking Academy has made a commitment to benefit 10,000 people living with disabilities within the next five years.

https://newsroom.cisco.com/press-release-content?articleId=1894689

AIG Partnership with Elon University

A collaboration was born last summer that promises to deliver gifts to both Elon University and especially the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. As a pilot outreach, Elon’s School of Education Project LAUNCH (Leveraging All Unique Needs - Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools) is offering the full 12-credit AIG licensure to a group of 20 district teachers. Superintendent Dr. Pam Baldwin was instrumental in orchestrating this tuition-free partnership from its inception. Even the textbooks will be offered to participants, free of charge.

These teachers will be learning as a cohort over a period of 18 months. Instruction will be delivered by two Elon professors, Dr. Stephen Byrd and Dr. Glenda Crawford, and most of the class sessions will be taught at Morris Grove Elementary School, so that the participating teachers can minimize their travel to the Elon campus.

Because 30% of CHCCS students are identified as AIG, gifted education is one of the district’s primary areas of focus. Few, if any, public school districts in the state have such a high percentage of identified gifted students. Administrators and the school board are always seeking strategies to reach more of these students in their classrooms, across the grade levels. As the Gifted Education website for our district states, “Our mission is to promote habits of mind that grow creative problem solvers, passionate leaders, and lifetime learners - Growing Greatness.”  

In the current district AIG Plan (2016-2019), one of the key goals is to place “AIG students in general education classrooms with teachers who have earned an AIG add-on license from an Institute of Higher Education (IHE) or who have met the LEA’s professional development requirements for that position.” The impact of Project LAUNCH will do just that-- increase the number of AIG-licensed teachers by 20, with a much wider impact than in their own classrooms, through the sharing of information in Professional Learning Communities and other site- and district-based opportunities.    

Several high school teachers are part of the LAUNCH cohort, including English teacher Pierre Lourens at Carrboro High. “I am excited about the AIG partnership between Elon and CHCCS, because it provides me the chance to pursue mastery of instructional approaches and curriculum design. In my role as an English teacher, I encourage my students to think of “mastery” of our standards as an endless and active pursuit rather than a single achievable goal. To that end, I know that I can always grow, and I look forward to adding to my skillset - a skillset which benefits all students.” Lourens added that he was encouraged by the first reading assignment because it emphasized how much the broader use of strategies for AIG instruction will raise the bar for all students.      

Board Chair Rani Dasi said, “CHCCS is focused on optimizing resources to address the needs of all of our students. While the state does not provide adequate resources to serve our district's gifted population, we are pursuing a partnership with Elon to certify local teachers in gifted instruction. We are fortunate to have professionals on staff who are willing to put in the time and effort toward this initiative. The project also highlights the importance of community partnerships, as Elon is playing an important role in providing training and support for our teaching community."      

The 20 teachers met in late October for an orientation, but the first official class and coursework will begin on February 6. In the recent welcome letter sent to teachers, the Elon team wrote, “Our vision of the program is of a vibrant, challenging education community that fulfills the experienced teachers' desire to explore, to grow, and to actively engage in their love of teaching and learning.”     

The first of four courses is “Curriculum and Instructional Design in Gifted Education.” Other courses will include “Social/Emotional Needs of Gifted Students” and a final course called “Consultation and Collaboration” that will involve an internship designing, administering, and evaluating a summer learning enrichment experience for our students.  The courses will be taught integrating face-to-face sessions at Morris Grove, online coursework, and some sessions on campus at Elon University.      

Kelly Fox, a social studies teacher at Phillips Middle School, reflected pure excitement as she talked about this new learning experience. After 14 years as a classroom teacher, and in her third year at CHCCS, Fox noted that the range of giftedness she observes in her sixth grade classes is unlike any other level of exceptionality she has experienced as a teacher. “I’m excited for this opportunity to better meet the needs of all our children,” she said. “I already differentiate all of the time, but I look forward to having a new, expanded toolbox.”    

The operative word for all the partners seems to be “excited.” Dr. Byrd of Elon wrote to participants, “We are excited that you are taking this next, important step in your professional career. Really, it is a step of leadership. We look forward to partnering with you to promote your future success.” 

CHCCS Teachers Among the Nation’s Newest National Board Certified Teachers

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) proudly announces that 10 teachers are among the nation’s newest National Board Certified Teachers. These educators are part of a growing community of Board-certified teachers, now more than 118,000 strong across all 50 states. CHCCS joins the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in celebrating these accomplished educators and congratulating them for earning the highest mark of professional achievement.

North Carolina continues to lead the nation in the number of teachers who have earned certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, with 616 additional teachers gaining the endorsement in 2017. Nearly 21,500 teachers in North Carolina have attained national certification, which is based on a rigorous performance-based assessment that typically takes from one to three years to complete and measures what accomplished teachers and counselors should know and be able to do.

More information about the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is available at www.nbpts.org.

Newly certified teachers, along with those receiving renewals this year, will be recognized at a celebration in May.

Congratulations to the following CHCCS teachers who earned or renewed National Board Certification in 2017:

Carrboro High School
Melisa Barry

Chapel Hill High School
Jessica Wallace

Culbreth Middle School
Molly Caudill
William Giblin

East Chapel Hill High School
Sophia Bauers,
Ruth Toro (renewal)
William Vincent

Ephesus Elementary School
Ashley Sherman

Estes Elementary School
Heidi Van Brocklin (renewal)

Morris Grove Elementary School
Stephanie Bruce
Lisa Frangipane (renewal)

Phillips Middle School
Edward Baruch

Scroggs Elementary School
Sarah Cornette

Seawell Elementary School
Julie Halpert (renewal)
Ginger Becton (renewal)

Carrboro High Hosts Group from Dominican Republic

An international-CHCCS connection that’s now in its fifth year celebrated a new chapter in December as 15 students and staff from the Julian Javier High School in the Dominican Republic spent a week with families and teachers from Carrboro High. Each day was packed with activity, food and conversations in Spanish and English. Alejandra Castillo, a junior at Carrboro High said, “Not only did the students have fun, but the parents and staff also danced, sang, and laughed along with everyone. We had fun the whole time they were here, taking pictures and sharing stories. It was an amazing experience I’ll never forget.”

During the summer of 2013, several Carrboro High students traveled to the Dominican Republic with Transcending Borders of the Global Leadership Institute. One of those students was Leah Simon, who now attends UNC, and the trip ignited her passion and commitment to the culture and the people they met. When she and the other students returned to school, they began planning various projects and fundraising efforts, under the guidance - and with tireless energy - from teacher John Hite. Dr. LaVerne Mattocks, principal at the time, offered her enthusiastic support as the core group built bridges with the community of Tenares in Hermanas Mirabal Province.

So far, the collaboration-exchange between Carrboro High and Hermanas Mirabel has yielded a mural project (and two vivid murals at the school), as well as a major drive for funds and boots-on-the-ground support of a water project at La Cumbre, a small village that had no access to clean water. In recent years, Carrboro High students and their families have raised tens of thousands of dollars for La Cumbre and Tenares, and each year, new students join this ongoing endeavor. Current principal Beverly Rudolph has picked up where Dr. Mattocks left off, providing assistance to ensure that each undertaking runs as smoothly as possible. John Hite led nine Carrboro students on the most recent trip to the Dominican Republic during the summer of 2016.   

The December exchange that brought 15 Dominicans here had been in the works for some time, but plans were scrambled by the succession of powerful hurricanes in 2017. Throughout the months of delays and complications, Hite stayed focused on making sure the exchange could take place. “There were so many moving parts, I had to make sure it all fit together.” 

Teachers Angela McChesney and Nathalie Gaut also pitched in with a group of students. The hundreds of collective hours paid off in an enriching and entertaining experience for both the Dominicans and the Carrboro High community alike.    

Students and their parents hosted visitors, as did McChesney and Gaut. The itinerary was packed between the group’s arrival and departure from RDU: a UNC basketball game, bowling, trips to the Ackland Museum, the Bennett Place and the Planetarium. Karl Naomi, a Carrboro High senior, said, “They loved Chapel Hill and saw a lot of different things than what they have in their country. Just something as simple as leaves falling off the trees and even a little snow was really cool for them to see.”     

The Dominican group, with their student hosts, also toured the campuses of UNC and Duke, courtesy of former Jaguars who’d been involved in earlier exchanges and fundraising: Leah Abrams at Duke, and Leah Simon and Kristen Lee at UNC.      

But the Dominicans also spent plenty of time at Carrboro High during the week, going to classes and other in-school events, as well as attending both a breakfast and lunch hosted by Youth Leadership Institute students. Senior Stephanie Lopez of YLI said, “I learned new things from their culture and what the education system is like in the Dominican Republic and it was a great experience!” On the final day of the exchange, most of the Carrboro High student body gathered during lunch in the Cafe Commons to share songs and dances from both cultures. The Dominican students performed a traditional dance, in full regalia, and a number of Carrboro High students offered their talents as well.           

The parents of the visiting students expressed their gratitude in emails to Hite after their children had returned home. One father wrote, “More than grateful for that great experience my son has lived. You who welcomed them and treated them so well from North Carolina-- thanks to you, students, teachers, professors and high school director. Thank you very much, it was unforgettable for our children.”


“I am from Peru, but I grew up here and so I felt like I wasn't really connected to my Latino side,” said Alejandra Castillo. “I feel like being with them has awakened (that). Having them here not only brought me closer to people from a different culture, but also to other people from the Carrboro High School community. I can hardly wait for future exchanges between Carrboro High School and Liceo Julian Javier!”

District High School Students Excel in Learning Through Languages Symposium

The pairing of UNC and Duke in conversation often brings to mind the sports rivalry, but the frequency with which the universities collaborate in academic and research initiatives deserves more of a spotlight. A group of CHCCS high school students and teachers benefited from one of those collaborations recently by participating in the Learning through Languages Symposium. Produced by the Consortium in Latin American and Caribbean Studies at UNC and Duke, the event took place on December 13 at the FedEx Global building on the UNC campus.

    

Now in its third year, the Symposium seeks to challenge advanced language students with a competition that demands excellence in both written and oral research skills. Deliver an off the cuff analysis on the impact of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, speaking only in French? No problem for these students. Or answer a range of questions from judges in Japanese about the Western influences on current Israeli politics? Piece of cake. This is what these students prepared for in teams of two or three, and the rigorous expectations seemed to delight them all.

    

Of the 34 teams competing from across the state, 11 were from CHCCS, sponsored by seven world languages teachers of Spanish, French, German and Japanese. Of the 18 prizes awarded this year, eight went to our teams. East Chapel Hill High student Makenna Meyer said, “The symposium helped me improve my Spanish in so many different ways. Through our research, I learned words that wouldn't ordinarily be on a vocabulary list. Through the formal paper, I was able to practice my writing. Through the oral presentation and question/answer period, I was able to practice my speaking and listening skills. However, the symposium experience is very valuable to me not only because it improved my Spanish, but I was also able to learn about other cultures and languages.” Meyer’s team, sponsored by Spanish teacher Justin Seifts, tied for two honorable mention awards for their research on the Rohingya crisis.

Spanish IV students at Carrboro High, Julia Connor and Dani Kaufman-Sedano, won an honorable mention in Best Scholarship for their project, also on the Rohingya crisis. Their teacher, Amy Olsen said, “We're extremely proud of them at Carrboro for representing the district's stellar World Language program, and also for winning an award the first time their school was selected for competition in the Symposium!”

    

The guidelines for the competition required students to use APA style instead of the more familiar MLA. Each project had three components: the written paper, the oral presentation, and the project visual. Students chose their topics from one of four strands: Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia, Europe or Middle East and North Africa. The contest design promotes research methodology, technology literacy, and critical thinking, and it addresses the Department of Public Instruction’s Essential Standards for the study of World Languages.

    

Judges for the competition were professors or graduate students from UNC and Duke. One of the judges for the French presentations was Dr. Deb Reisinger from the Practice of Romance Studies at Duke; she also happens to be a CHCCS parent. “I work closely with AP curriculum and development, and so I was eager to meet the students who were taking AP courses in World Languages. What an impressive group! Our AP French students were simply outstanding. Not only had they produced written analyses that reflected critical thinking and strong research skills, but they were able to talk about their research on refugees and migration with me in French. What stood out most was that these students were clearly passionate about learning, and able to articulate the importance of learning about the world from multiple perspectives. I am thrilled that my child will have the opportunity to participate in CHCCS' excellent AP program.”

    

One of those French students from Chapel Hill High, Daniel Zaretsky, was on the team that won Best Use of Written and Oral Language (across all languages). He said, “The Research Symposium was definitely a very enriching and important experience as a language learner. Of course, we couldn't have done it without Mme. (Christen) Campbell. The processes of researching and writing the paper, and preparing the presentation, were definitely eye-opening, and I encountered many interesting and shocking facts while exploring the details of the refugee crisis in the Middle East and its effects on Lebanon.”

     

Congratulations to all of the award winning teams from CHCCS, as well as all the participants who put so much effort into their scholarship and presentations!

          

Learn more about the Symposium at http://areastudies.unc.edu/ltl/

Below are the award winners:                        

Best Overall Research Project on Contemporary Latin America and the Caribbean:

• Julia Cummer, Meenakshi Kaundinya and Daniela Martínez Leal of East Chapel Hill High School, teacher Valerie Huet, for “L’Ouragan Maria Révèle La Négligence Envers Porto Rico” (“Hurricane Maria Reveals Negligence towards Puerto Rico”)

Best Use of Written and Oral Language:

• Alec Caruana, Robin Huang, and Daniel Zaretsky of Chapel Hill High School, teacher Christen Campbell, for “Une investigation de la présence des réfugiés syriens au Liban” (“An Investigation of the Presence of Syrian Refugees in Lebanon”)

Honorable Mention of Best Use of Written and Oral Language:

• Justin Holly, Emmy Soll, and Nikita Zaretsky, of Chapel Hill High School, teacher Christen Campbell, for “Les effets du Printemps arabe sur la traite des humains en Tunisie” (“The Effects of the Arab Spring on Human Rights in Tunisia”)

Honorable Mention of Best Scholarship (tie):

• Julia Connor and Danielle Kaufman-Sedano of Carrboro High School, teacher Amy Olsen, for “Examinando la crisis rohingya como limpieza étnica” (“Examining the Rohingya Crisis as Ethnic Cleansing”)

• Makenna Meyer, Noah Clapacs, and Natalie Troy of East Chapel Hill High School, teacher Justin Seifts, for “La respuesta mundial a la crisis de los rohingya: Buscando soluciones cooperativas para una crisis en crecimiento” (“The World’s Response to the Rohingya Crisis: Seeking Cooperative Solutions for a Growing Crisis”)

Honorable Mention of Best Visual Presentation (tie):

• Rebecca Guo, Jane Hwang, and MeiXuan Zhu of East Chapel Hill High School, teacher Yoshimi Yamagata Aoyagi, for “中国、日本、インド、ベトナムの 勢力拡大による国境紛争”  (“China, Japan, India, and Vietnam’s Increasing Power and the Resulting Border Conflicts”)

Honorable Mention of Research Project on Contemporary Asia:

• Makenna Meyer, Noah Clapacs, and Natalie Troy of East Chapel Hill High School, teacher Justin Seifts, for “La respuesta mundial a la crisis de los rohingya: Buscando soluciones cooperativas para una crisis en crecimiento” (“The World’s Response to the Rohingya Crisis: Seeking Cooperative Solutions for a Growing Crisis”)

Honorable Mention of Research Project on Contemporary Middle East and North Africa:

• Jillian Breithaupt, Ethan San Pedro, and Haruna Tsukiyama of Chapel Hill High School, teacher Yoshimi Yamagata Aoyagi, for “イスラエルの政治への欧米の影響” (“Western Influence on Israel’s Politics)