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• Want to check out what the students had to say? Visit www.bbc.co.uk/worldclass

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  • Weston Spalding and Luis Garcia, juniors at Our Lady of Providence High School, talk about questions students ask them from around the world during the BBC World's Biggest School Assembly. Students talked about world issues, stereotypes and similarities. Staff photo by Jerod Clapp

    05-09 Providence assembly.w.jpg

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May 8, 2012

Instant pen pals: Providence students discuss issues with students all over the world

By JEROD CLAPP jerod.clapp@newsandtribune.com

CLARKSVILLE — They tackled world issues, national economic concerns and attempted to break down stereotypes — such as whether all American teenagers dress like pop artist Nicki Minaj.

Students at Our Lady of Providence High School participated in the BBC World’s Biggest School Assembly on Tuesday. Students in all grade levels from across the globe spoke with each other online.

Nancy Miller, British literature teacher at Providence, said the Internet allows students to talk to each other in real time and learn from each other immediately.

“I think there’s a lot of curiosity of other teens in the world,” Miller said. “When I was in grade school many years ago, we were writing to pen pals.”

She said students would have an opportunity to address preconceived notions of how teenagers live in America.

Luis Garcia, a junior, said he was watching a conversation about bullying in other countries, which he said kind of surprised him.

“Bullying is something you really wouldn’t think about on a worldwide scale,” Garcia said. “You hear about it in grade school, but I wondered if they have the same talks at that age in other countries.”

Weston Spalding, a junior, said he liked having the opportunity to see what young people thought about world issues, including economic problems and social concerns.

“We hear most of the views from adults on the news, but we want to hear what kids have to say, too,” Spalding said. “They don’t get much of a voice, so you don’t hear their perspective.”

Clair Slusser, a junior, said she’s never had the opportunity to travel around the world, but wanted to see the similarities between Americans and teenagers worldwide. But knowing her class was representing America was something that made her think seriously about her answers to questions, she said.

“I think we better do a pretty darn good job,” Slusser said. “I think there are stereotypes toward Americans just like there are in any country.”

Miller said hearing other perspectives on what it’s like to live in another country or hear about issues Americans might not have — such as maintaining a supply of drinking water for citizens — could open up their eyes about the world.

“I hope they see the similarities they have with other teens in the world,” Miller said. “They pretty much want the same things in life and have similar goals.”

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