This winter term, Groton hosted three exchange students from the World Leading Schools Association (WLSA) Shanghai Academy in Shanghai, China: Youyou Yu, Elma Liu, and Luca Mo. During their two weeks on the Circle, Youyou and Elma stayed in Bannard’s dorm, while Luca stayed in LeRoys. Their experiences on the Circle leave us with reminders of Groton’s role in the broader landscape of global education.
Although their motivation for coming to Groton varied slightly, all three mentioned that they wanted to experience education in America to learn how their high school life differs. “ I remember reading about Groton’s diverse and supportive community on the school website, and I really wanted to experience that sense of belonging and also meet new people,” Elma said. While choosing among other exchange programs, Youyou added, “I decided Groton was the best choice because of the opportunities offered, and overall, I’m glad I made the right choice.”
Despite their eagerness to attend Groton, the application process was no easy task. Their school required them to write multiple short essays about their academic and extracurricular interests, create a presentation on their goals for the program, and be interviewed by various teachers. After being accepted to the program, there were other materials they had to complete, such as medical requirements and visa applications, which the directors of the global exchange program at Groton helped to accommodate. Dean of Global Education Nishad Das added that Ms. Leggat organized their classes, and had the GEO prefects “welcome them and make sure they were settled in.”
When reflecting on her contrasting experiences at Groton and WLSA Shanghai Academy, Youyou explained that there were stark differences between the culture of academic life and competition. “At WLSA, students compete to earn the best grades, but at Groton, everyone works together to help each other out in every aspect,” she said.
Luca was also surprised by the friendliness of Groton students in comparison to WLSA. “Everyone was so easy-going and friendly,” he said. “People came up to me in the dining hall and just started having conversations with me.”
All three exchange students also mentioned that their favorite part of Groton was living in the dorms. “I lived in a Third Form dorm, so there were prefects taking care of us, and it felt like a big family, with the dorm heads, prefects, and the kids,” Youyou said. She added that Groton dorm life felt like home and like “everyone cared about me.” Elma also shared this sentiment and added that she especially enjoyed how check-ins every night were relaxing and memorable moments to de-stress from the day.
Not only did the exchange students enjoy the dorms, but they provided enthusiastic reports about their experience in class. “The classes were all engaging, the class size was pretty small, and the teachers made the classes lighter and more free,” Ruiyang said. Additionally, Luca expressed that he enjoyed the discussion- and collaboration-based atmosphere of Groton classes. “I remember people in my Precalculus class asking questions frequently, while my classmates in Shanghai wouldn’t,” he said.
All three exchange students emerged from the experience expressing gratitude and astonishment towards Groton’s campus and facilities. In fact, after an introductory tour upon their arrival to campus, Youyou was especially impressed by the Athletic Center and exclaimed,“I couldn’t believe this entire place was the school!”
The three students concluded their reflections on their stays at Groton by expressing gratitude for the exchange program and her immersion in Groton’s unique academic environment. Their positive feedback on the global exchange program signifies its success in providing cultural exposure and global competency on the Circle.
