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Feature Story
Service Learning Celebrates with International Students
For the past four years, students in the FHS Service Learning class have had the unique opportunity to talk with students from the Spring International Language Center (SILC) several times throughout the year.
“Being able to 
spend time with the international students was a great experience. We were able to learn interesting things about their countries as well as teach them our own customs. Spending time with them was one of my favorite things we’ve done in this class!” said FHS senior Anna Nastasi of her experience this fall.
Spring International Language Center is a professional academic organization housed at the University of Arkansas. SILC provides intensive English and cross-cultural education to international students. The program is a 25-hour-per-week intensive English language program specifically designed to: prepare international students to enter U.S.
colleges and universities, assist professionals who desire to strengthen their English language skills, and teach anyone who seeks to improve their English communication skills.
The International students visit FHS three times during each nine-weeksession to practice their English language conversation skills and learn about American culture. The first visit focuses on life as a high school student and includes a tour of the existing high school. Students share and learn about dating and relationships and gender roles during the second visit. FHS students have the opportunity to learn about many different cultures while helping the 
international students practice their English language skills during these sessions.
FHS junior Beverly Woessner really enjoys the international students and said, “I really like meeting all the different people from crazy places. It’s awesome to learn about how different our lives are, yet how they are also the same in many ways.”
The third visit of each nine weeks focuses on food and is always a student favorite. FHS students and SILC students each bring a culturally representative food dish to share. SILC dishes have included fried rice, hummus and tabbouleh, Arabic coffee, salsa, and breads, while American 
student dishes include southern classics such as cheese grits and banana pudding as well as many desserts including chocolate chip cookies, “puppy chow,” cake balls, and brownies.
The second food session falls around the winter holiday season, andstudents also discuss international holiday traditions while sharing a meal. Students seem to especially enjoy learning and sharing about their cultural heritage.
“It is such 
a wonderful opportunity for our students to visit the high school students because not only do they get to practice their listening and speaking skills with native English speakers but they also learn more about American culture. And even more empowering is the fact that our students become teachers of their own culture. In my view, this type of exchange is where peace begins—with interactions that transform the way we view another culture—to a place where a common thread of humanity is discovered,” said SILC instructor Michelle Jeffries after the last session.
FHS service learning students will continue to meet with International students periodically throughout the spring semester.
For more information about SILC, please visit: http://www.uark.edu/depts/silc/ark/