Global Scholars

The Global Scholars Program is an interdisciplinary program that helps cultivate globally minded students who, upon graduation, will be better prepared to negotiate our increasingly international society. This program is sponsored by Pennsylvania State Modern Language Association (PSMLA). Students’ opportunities will be enhanced for:  Acceptance to university and other post-secondary programs. In order to receive an award upon graduation, students must satisfy academic requirements, (four years of a foreign language at the high school, along with four approved elective courses) a minimum of four approved extra-curricular activities, twenty approved service hours, along with approved literature/media reviews.

Global Scholars Program Requirements

Students must meet all of the graduation requirements as mandated by the Connellsville Area School District. In
addition, students who wish to receive the Global Scholars Certificate and Honor Chord upon graduation must also
satisfy the following requirements within the course of their high school career:

1: Academic Courses:

a. Four consecutive years of a World Language (mandatory), or 3 years of German and 1 year of Spanish

i. Four years of Spanish
or
ii. Three years of German and 1 year of Spanish

(Students must maintain a minimum of a B average for all four language courses.)

b. Four additional credits in any of the following courses:
(Students must maintain a minimum of a B average in each course)

English Department:

• Academic English 11

• CP English 11

• Honors English 11

• AP Language

• AP Literature

Social Studies Department:

• World Cultures

• Sociology

Science Department:

• Environmental Science

• AP Environmental Science

• Earth & Space Science

World Language

• Cultural Exploration of the Spanish Speaking World 1 (.5 credit)

• Cultural Exploration of the Spanish Speaking World 2 (.5 credit)

Business Department

• AP Macroeconomics

• Sales

• Social Media Marketing

Family & Consumer Science

• International Foods (.5 credit)

2. Extra-curricular activities (active participation as confirmed by a sponsor) (minimum of 4) such as:

• World language club
• World language honor society
• School-sponsored field trips or activities that explore global aspects (international restaurant, involvement in a play or musical production that is international in nature, University of Pittsburgh
• Nationality Rooms, foreign film, foreign travel, etc.)
• Other community activity that includes a global component, is verified by the adult in the community in charge, and accepted by the school’s criteria, including mission trips abroad, foreign travel, etc.

3. Service hours (at least 20 hours, as verified by an appropriate facilitator, and no more than 5 hours per activity)
such as:

• Tutoring of the target language
• Volunteering to teach a world language to elementary students
• An internship or job shadowing that includes a global component
• Working with a middle school or elementary world language activity
• Christmas caroling in the target language at local retirement/nursing facilities

4. Literature/media review (minimum of 8, at least 4 of which are books)

• Approved and reviewed by a school’s Global Scholar mentor/designee
• Be related to the a world language and/or culture

5. GETTING STARTED:

• Complete the “Global Scholar Application” below to begin. You should also download the suggested reading list.
• Make a folder in your Google Drive called “LAST NAME FIRST NAME Global Scholar.” You will need to make a copy of the application and literature / media reviews and save them to your folder. You will then share this folder with your current language teacher. Once you submit a literature/media review, please send an email to your World Language teacher.

Applications with TWO accompanying literature/media reviews must be submitted to the
student’s World Language teacher no later than February of each school year. Students
are encouraged to complete ¼ of all requirements each school year (grades 9-12).