UA Diversity & Global Education 2011-2012

St. Ursula's School Klugersdorp

2012-03-15T15:21:00.000-05:00

Oh what a welcome we received at St. Ursula's school in Klugersdorp on Tuesday! And what a warm and welcoming school it is! We were overwhelmed with the hospitality from each of the levels within the school! We weren't there 2 minutes and the Upper school choir was singing to us! One of the beautiful songs that they sang was "Oh Happy Day!" - How appropriate!! Later the middle schoolers and the preschoolers honored us with more songs and performances. It was so very humbling and meant so much to our group to be welcomed in this way.

We enjoyed the day in Klugersdorp so much! At the end of the day, the Ursuline sisters came over from their convent to greet us and they even brought their dog, Max - a great poser as you will see from his photo below. We were especially happy to see Sr. Diane who we know from several international Ursuline educator meetings.

We can't thank all of the lovely members of the St. Ursula community enough for the heart-felt welcome and for all of the love and attention that we received on our visit!

Day 3 in Chile

2012-03-14T20:18:00.002-05:00

We spent today at the school attending classes. The highlight of the day was cooking class and learning how to make empanadas. You all would have been so impressed with the girl´s cooking and dish washing skills! Two of the girls also volunteered to share their experiences of arriving in Chile and meeting their host family for the first time and the visit to Maipu so you can hear the student´s impressions of Chile instead of the teacher´s today!

Arrival in Chile by Elizabeth:
"Our first Chilean adventure: driving to el Colegio from the airport. While driving we saw the huge mountains all over the place, stray dogs, and beautiful, green plants growing everywhere! When we arrived at the school our host sisters were waiting for us wtih signs and a big welcome. After customary "hello" kisses on the cheek, they invited us in the school for some Chilean cookies and the most amazing pineapple juice any of us have ever had (except Sra. Vargas I´m sure)! Then we took a tour of the school which included a song from the adorable kindergarteners and ended in class with our host sisters. After school we all went our separate ways to our host families.

My host dad drove my three host sisters and me home where my host mom was waiting excitedly to greet me. I talked with them for a little while, doing my best to explain the plane ride in Spanish. Then the girls had their after school snack and did homework while I took a much needed nap after the plane ride. After that we played Wii Mario until dinner. Then we talked and played with their 5 pets (a dog, cat, rabbit, and birds) and little brother Diego until 12:30. I told them all about Ursuline, explaining the different grades, senior privleges, what we like to do on the weekend, and all my extracurricular activities. They were shocked to hear that I can drive and have a car. When I told them about the "freshmen dance" created by the seniors to embarass the freshmen, they started laughing, saying it sounded just like the movies. By that time it was 12:30 and we were all muy cansadas and had to go to bed."

Visit to Maipu by Katie:
"All the Ursuline girls had so much fun today [Tuesday]! We went to a museum with colonial and revolutionary relics from Chile. There was an entire room dedicated to gorgeous carriages that were important in Chilean history like one that the Queen of England rode in. We also visited the remains of a church which Bernardo O´Higgins had dedicated to La Virgen del Carmen as a result of Chile´s successful revolution. As he did not have the funds to complete the construction, it remained only a skeleton structure. Unfortunately an earthquake destroyed parts of this structure. Therefore, the Chileans built a massive church near this original structure. After visiting these Chilean landmarks, we went to a second Ursuline school called Colegio Santa Ursula de Maipu. We loved spending time with the girls and getting to know them. Overall, it was a wonderful second day in Santiago!"

Pictures from today´s cooking class:

Grace feeling very powerful with the rolling pin!

Erin and Allie preparing the dough and cooking onions

Allie and Elizabeth

The whole group hard at work!

Katie working hard kneeding the dough and Grace looking on!

Mia, Maria, and Mary

Kelsey and Nicole

Brittany, Mary, Mia, and Maria all enjoying empanadas after their hard work!

Brescia House School - Johannesburg

2012-03-14T01:18:00.045-05:00

Hello from Johannesburg, South Africa! As many of you know, we, along with 2 colleagues from Ursuline Academy in St. Louis, are currently visiting South Africa while our student delegation is in Chile. So, you will be hearing from 2 different continents over the next few days. Our first day at Brescia House was splendid! We met teachers, administrators and, best of all, some really wonderful (and extremely well-mannered) students. In the High School, we attended fascinating classes in subjects such as Zulu and Afrikaans and we loved seeing the little ones in the Primary School. These photos show a few of the highlights about what makes Brescia House such a special place!

Welcome to Brescia House School!

Sr. Notburga presents an Athletics trophy at the Monday morning assembly

The Brescia House formal uniform includes this stylish hat!

Students arrive at 7:30 am and line up for the morning assembly

Student Art - so creative and vibrant!

Happy Ursuline girls - in the Summer Uniform (yes, it's summer here :) )

A playful moment between Mrs. Escamilla and Sr. Notburga

Eager to Learn!

Visit to Maipu

2012-03-13T15:22:00.000-05:00

We met at school this morning and all were happy and very excited to share stories from meeting their host families. They all agreed they are getting lots of opportunities to practice their Spanish and it is only day 2! After being introduced at the school´s Tuesday morning assembly, we boarded a bus with the 10th grade and went to Colegio Santa Ursula in Maipu, about 30 minutes away. While the 10th grade attended a retreat, Sor Angela took us to Templo de Maipu which is a tribute to Virgen del Carmen. We saw the beautiful church, as well as visited a museum that taught us about the history of Chile, especially how Chile gained its independence. After a walk back to school, Sor Angela treated us to juice in a beautiful coutryard. All agreed that Colegio Santa Ursula in Maipu is a very relaxing and beautiful place! The girls had a chance to visit an English class where they practiced asking questions in Spanish and the girls from Chile answered in English. They had lunch with some of the students and then had an opportunity to tour the grounds of the school and see all of the fresh fruits and vegetables grown on site. As the girls boarded the bus, they all expresed how welcoming and fun the Ursuline girls of Maipu were!

Arriving at Colegio Santa Ursula in Maipu

Hugs and kisses from Sor Angela

The entire group with Sor Angela after juice

Grace, Katie, and Mary posing as statues. Many other interesting pictures were taken in the coutryard waiting for lunch!

Maria and her new Chilean friends bonding over their love of One Direction!

Caitlin, Mary, Mia, and Grace trying to befriend the horse.

Talking with our new Chilean friends under the grapevines.

2012-03-12T21:18:00.001-05:00

Greetings from Chile! We arrived in Santiago this morning after an overnight flight. The girls were troopers on our long flight and enjoyed sharing stories of how they tried to sleep on the airplane! After arriving in Santiago, we exchanged money and tried to look our best before meeting Claudia and Lorena, two teachers from Colegio Santa Ursula. We arrived at the school and were greeted by the host students and teachers. We enjoyed cookies and juice while introducing ourselves in Spanish! After the introductions were complete, the girls received a tour of the school and were treated to a picnic lunch in one of the school´s many courtyards. The girls spent the afternoon in class with their host students and were looking forward to meeting their families tonight.

Ready to board the plane at DFW!

Arrival in Chile

Welcome signs at Colegio Santa Ursula

Touring with our host sisters

Introductions in Spanish!

Picnic lunch

Special Texas cupcakes made for the teachers by 3rd grade

UA Teachers arrive in South Africa!

2012-03-11T17:43:00.001-05:00

After two long days of travel, our UA teachers, Mrs. Escamilla, Ms. Chinuntdet and Ms. Nipp have arrived in South Africa! The purpose of this awesome trip is to visit three Ursuline schools (plus another very special school - stay tuned) and to investigate the possibilities for collaboration and exchange with our South African sisters. It has already been a great trip and we have only been here one day! Today we attended Mass, visited a crafts market and had an authentic African dinner with Brescia House School administrators. It promises to be a wonderful week of learning and adventure!

Half way to South Africa - on the train in Amsterdam

Mrs. Escamilla chatting with Mrs. Nott, our host and the Headmistress of Brescia House School

Ms. Nipp with a new friend, local artist Teresa (originally from zimbabwe) - loved her art which depicts women working

Mass at the Church of the Resurrection

Many houses are behind walls here.

A Stained Glass window of St. Angela :)

UA Faculty and Administration attend NAIS 2012

2012-03-08T08:35:00.000-06:00

The beautiful city of Seattle

Last week, many of us from UA Dallas made a short journey to the fabulous city of Seattle in order to attend the annual NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) Conference. This conference is always full of energy and excitement and this year was no exception - It was awesome! The theme was Innovation: Imagine, Invent, Inspire, Dream . We were privileged to hear such renown speakers such as Bill Gates and Amy Chua (the "Tiger Mom"). Also attending the conference were many of our old friends including Matt Nink, Director of GYLI (Global Youth Leadership Institute), Kim Bouldin-Jones, Director of MFA (Medical Facility Aid) and Peter Morgan, former UA College Counselor. It was thrilling to be together and to be able to share new ideas about Global Education.

Being in Seattle also allowed us a little time to visit the recently-opened Visitor Center at the Gates Foundation. What a fantastic museum! If you are in Seattle, you must go visit this interactive space which not only explains the history and work of the Gates Foundation but also calls visitors to action about what they might contribute to our world.

Now we are back in Dallas energized for the work ahead. Thank you to NAIS for another inspiring conference and for always raising the bar for more and more excellence in education!

Chatting with Bill Gates about innovation and education

Workshop on UA's Global Education Initiative

NAIS President Pat Bassett

The recently opened Visitor Center at The Gates Foundation

Conference attendees Ms. Nipp & Mr. Bianchi

Every session begins with a sharing of student talents

Chile Delegation Prepares for Travel

2012-03-05T22:42:00.000-06:00

The 2012 Chile Delegation

Next week, while UA is closed for Spring Break, a group of 13 students and 3 teachers (most pictured here) will be attending school at Colegio Santa Ursula in Santiago, Chile. This vibrant and cheerful group will represent Ursuline Dallas as the third student / teacher delegation to visit our sister school in Chile. Students will attend classes, participate in a service project and live with host families as part of this educational and cultural exchange. Stay tuned to our blog to follow their South American Adventures!

Welcome Mr. Rafael Bianchi from Brazil

2012-02-29T00:21:00.000-06:00

Mr. Bianchi with Sr. Lois and Ms. Nipp in the Global Village

These last two weeks, you may have noticed a new and friendly face around Ursuline Dallas. This special person is Mr. Rafael Bianchi, our current guest from a wonderful Ursuline school in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil. We first met Mr. Bianchi last summer when Ms. Bourgeois and I (Ms. Nipp) attended an international Ursuline educator conference at his school. It was such a great experience that we extended an invitation to Mr. Bianchi to visit us in Dallas so that we could deepen our relationship with his school. Now, we at Ursuline Dallas are assisting with some of the planning for an upcoming Ursuline student conference to be held in Brazil next September. Mr. Bianchi is the primary contact for the conference and we are looking forward to having our students meet and work together on global issues next year.

Mr. Bianchi tells us that he loves Texas and has learned so much at our school. He is hoping that his students in Brazil will contribute regularly to our online newspaper The Bear Facts Online and he is also very grateful for the many faculty friends that he has made in Dallas. He tells us that he does not know what he will do without Tex-Mex food now that he has dicovered it and that he hopes to bring some students to visit us in Texas one day - That would be great!

Currently, Mr. Bianchi is traveling with a large group from Ursuline Dallas and is attending the annual NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) conference in Seattle. We are so happy that he has been able to spend this quality time with us and we can't wait for the student conference in Brazil!

UA Hosts Giant Traveling Map of Africa

2012-02-13T11:38:00.001-06:00

We at Ursuline Dallas are currently enjoying the Giant Traveling Map of Africa from National Geographic. The map, measuring 35 feet by 26 feet, is designed as a geo-game board to introduce students to the power of maps and the diverse geography of Africa. The map will be with us for a two week period which will end all too quickly this Friday, the 17th. The map comes with all sorts of accessories, interactive activities and photo cards which teach students about the physical characteristics of the continent as well as the rich history, wildlife and varied cultures of Africa. We are delighted that the map is being used by a wide variety of departments at Ursuline including Math, Social Studies, PE and Theology. Staff members are also visiting the map throughout the day as we are all eager to learn as much as we can about Africa. We are so happy to be a part of the Africa Map's tour - It has been so much fun that we have already requested the map of Asia next year!

Having fun - Ms. Ross promotes World Peace in West Africa while Mr. Villalobos imitates a Gorilla in the Congo

Ms. Nipp sends greetings from the Giant Map after walking across the Equator

Ms. Haley's World Geography students enjoy a playful moment after studying the regions of Africa

Ms. Vander Linden walks along the horn of Africa

Saying Goodbye to our Peruvian Sisters

2012-02-04T21:02:00.042-06:00

The time to say goodbye to the Peruvian delegation came much too quickly. Even though the group was with us for three weeks, the visit seemed far too short. Our farewell on Friday consisted of a breakfast at St. Ursula's where all were chatting and laughing and telling stories of funny moments that were shared during the last weeks. And then the dreaded moment came when we had to say goodbye - and lots of tears flowed ... Now we have huge holes in our hearts because we miss our Peruvian sisters but we are so grateful for the many joyful memories that we will never forget.

Celebrating the Feast of St. Angela

2012-01-28T22:10:00.005-06:00

On Friday, we celebrated the Feast of St. Angela with a school Mass. It was so special to have our Ursuline sisters here from Peru and Chile for this important occasion celebrating St. Angela, the foundress of the Ursulines. We wanted to include our sisters in the celebration so the Peruvians participated in the opening procession and in the offertory. The Chileans sang a beautiful song during communion. It was a wonderful way to celebrate being together!

University of Dallas welcomes guest students

2012-01-26T23:36:00.001-06:00

While our guests are here learning about education in the USA, we thought it would be a good idea for them to tour a college campus and to learn about university life in the US. So, on Wednesday morning, we went out in the cold and the rain and were treated to a very warm welcome at the University of Dallas, Dallas' only Catholic university. Our guests met students, visited classrooms and even enjoyed a little break at UD's famous cappucino bar. In fact, our guests were intrigued to consider studying in the USA (and on UD's fabulous Rome campus) as a future possibility! Thanks UD for a wonderful morning!

International Guests interviewed on Radio Univision

2012-01-26T15:37:00.001-06:00

On Wednesday, our sisters from South America were invited to Radio Univision for an interview with Claudia Torrescano, Community Affairs Director for Univision (and UA mom). The interview was part of an education segment on "La Voz del Pueblo 1270 AM." The students were very natural and articulate as they answered questions about Dallas, their host families and what they have gained from this exchange experience. The Chileans were interviewed first and then the Peruvians. All of the students mentioned how well they had been received by their UA host families and how interesting it has been to observe a different system of education in a different culture.

You can see additional photos from our visit to Radio Univision here:
http://lavoz1270.univision.com/fotos/slideshow/2012-01-25/visita-de-estudiantes-de-chile-peru-a-la-voz-dallas

Guests enjoy Downtown Dallas and the Dallas World Aquarium

2012-01-25T20:23:00.006-06:00

After spending several days on campus and in classes, our South American guests were excited about an adventure in town on Tuesday. The day began at UA with a talk about the 1960's in the USA and the role of the Kennedy family in US history. Then, the students were ready to visit the 6th Floor museum. They were moved by being in the exact location where President Kennedy was assassinated and they appreciated hearing the personal stories of Mr. Smith and Ms. Ross from that important time in history.

After the museum visit, students had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe downtown - No Brownie Sundae was safe (but it was delicious). The last stop of the day was the Dallas World Aquarium where the girls loved seeing monkeys, penguins and other exotic creatures. All in all, a wonderful day!

Happy New Year - The Year of the Dragon!

2012-01-24T20:21:00.003-06:00

On Monday we had a new reason to celebrate - the New Year! Our Mandarin language classes organized a fantastic after-school presentation and party in honor of Chinese New Year. The festivities took place in the KIVA and we loved everything - the singing, the eating (dumplings - yum!) and, of course, the special new year good wishes inside of the traditional red envelopes. This is an extra special and lucky year because it's the year of the dragon and also because we were able to celebrate with our South American sisters!

Spirit of Uganda WOWs UA !!

2012-01-22T21:39:00.009-06:00

There were countless wonderful presentations and sessions which made Global Celebration Day one of the best days of the school year. However, most agree that the most stunning and awesome part of the day was the thundering, energized, mind-blowing performance by Spirit of Uganda (our friends!)!

Students Enjoy Global Celebration Day

2012-01-22T16:08:00.000-06:00

The Bear Facts, our online student paper, just published a wonderful (and very thorough) article about Global Celebration Day. Check out what our journalism bears had to say about this major event:
Students Enjoy Global Celebration Day

Here are just a few favorite moments of the day:

Seniors with newly purchased rug from Sudanese women -Potential dorm decor?

Shopping at Soap Hope

Braiding hair as a fund-raiser for St. Catherine's school in Kenya

Looking good in UWEZOs, our favorite shoes!

Our Peruvian Sisters teaching us a traditional Peruvian dance

Our cafeteria service, SAGE, featured food of Southern Africa in honor of this special day

Latin Dancing during Recess

Young women supporting women in the developing world with their purchasing power

Author Sarah Culberson delights UA on Global Celebration Day

2012-01-22T12:20:00.000-06:00

Ms. Culberson speaking in the UCPA

What an awesome Global Celebration Day we enjoyed on Wednesday! There were so many excellent speakers and sessions and performances! One truly spectacular highlight was listening to Sarah Culberson, the vibrant and dynamic author of A Princess Found . Ms. Culberson shared her story of identity and discovery in two energized speaker sessions with all Ursuline students. Students were fascinated by her life story of being adopted and raised in West Virginia, only to discover, years later, that she was an African princess with family in Sierra Leone.

Ms. Culberson was a gracious and sincere guest who seemed to enjoy talking to our UA students as much as they enjoyed chatting with her. We got to know Ms. Culberson even more during her book signing in the library (sorry about running out of books - more are on the way!) and then we all danced together at the Spirit of Uganda performance.

Ms. Culberson, we thank you so much for coming to Ursuline and brightening all of our lives with your story! We wish you all the best with the work that you are doing in Sierra Leone through your foundation, the Kposowa Foundation. If you would like to learn more about Ms. Culberson and her work, follow this link: http://www.bumpefund.org/

Ms. Culberson and Mariama T. representing Sierra Leone in the Global Parade

Ms. Culberson poses with UA fans

Sisters Hannah and Rebecca S. had their book ready to sign!

Ms. Culberson with her favorite people at UA, Ms. Nipp & Ms. Haley (that's a little joke haha)

Two great women working for good - Sarah Culberson and Sister Margaret Ann Moser

Morgan S. volunteers to assist Ms. Culberson in teaching the audience an African greeting

Could there be a more dynamic duo?? - Sarah Culberson with Empower African Children Director, Alexis Hefley

Global Celebration Day Begins with a Festive Parade

2012-01-22T08:24:00.003-06:00

This past Wednesday, Global Celebration Day, began with a bang! Actually, it began with a super-festive parade of our international guests who walked through cheering crowds of UA students. It could not have been more fun and we thank those who joined in with all sorts of delightful antics along the parade route. The countries of Sierra Leone, India, the Philippines, the USA, Chile, Peru and Uganda were all represented in the parade (as well as a few more who may have jumped in along the way). Here are a few photo highlights:

South American Ursuline sisters at school...

2012-01-20T20:46:00.001-06:00

This was the first full week with our Peruvian and Chilean sisters in classes. On Tuesday, we welcomed the Peruvians to campus. Just as the Chileans had done last week, they cheerfully greeted the school community on the PA system and then had a tour of campus. Even though we've only had our guests on campus for a few days, they are already blending in with our students going from class to class and to school activities. In fact, if it weren't for the different uniforms, we wouldn't be able to tell the difference between them and our Ursuline Dallas students. It's so much fun having our sisters here with us and it's even more special this year because they are here together - it's twice the fun!

Sr. Lois with the Chilean delegation

Welcoming the Peruvian Delegation

Touring UA upon arrival

Every Ursuline girl needs an Ursuline bear :)

Preparing to say hello on the PA in the Attendance Office

Gattitown with all our friends!

2012-01-20T19:36:00.000-06:00

What a great week we have had at Ursuline Academy! The fun began on Monday evening when we all met at Gattitown for an evening of fun and friendship - And by "All" we mean our friends from Chile, Peru AND Uganda plus all of us from UA. It was great to bring all of these cultures together for pizza, games and LOTS of laughs. Only later did I think about how Monday was also Martin Luther King day and how appropriate it was that we all joyfully came together in friendship from so many different backgrounds and experiences. As you can see from the photos, we had a blast!!!!

Peruvians are here!!

2012-01-14T23:56:00.000-06:00

And now we are all here together - UA Dallas, Colegio Santa Ursula Vitacura and Colegio Santa Ursula Lima - YAY! Today our Ursuline sisters from Lima arrived and were received by much fanfare and joy at DFW. Some of the host students already know their new sisters from previous travel to Lima and from their pen pal projects in Spanish classes. And many have become fast friends on Skype and Facebook these last few weeks. Of course, there's nothing like actually being together and that is what we are all celebrating today - The next few weeks are going to be thrilling!!

Welcome Chilean Sisters!

2012-01-12T23:26:00.000-06:00

Today we welcomed 8 students and one teacher from our sister school in Santiago, Chile. We were thrilled to see them after their long flight (via Canada - oh my!). Our host students have been waiting for this day for a long time and were super excited to greet their Chilean sisters with a reception (and a really big cake) at St. Ursula's. These first moments together were very special and filled with lots of hugs and chatter about the weeks ahead.

Today begins a series of very special events which will occur this month. Next we will welcome our Peruvian sisters and then we will enjoy Global Celebration Day with all of our sisters AND our Ugandan friends. This January is a busy, multicultural and very joyful time at Ursuline!!

Volleyball & Festivity with Spirit of Uganda

2012-01-06T15:25:00.001-06:00

Our first official activity with Spirit of Uganda was January 2nd when we all got togther at Net Results Sports Center for a fun-filled evening of volleyball and laughter. We'd like to thank the super-awesome Ryder family for hosting this special event which gave us time with some of our favorite people in the world. It was a great evening!!

Welcome Spirit of Uganda!

2012-01-01T16:34:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, the Spirit of Uganda arrived in Dallas! This amazing group of young performers is part of Empower African Children and, every two years, they go on tour in the USA in order to raise funds and awareness about children in Uganda. These young artists are actually our dear friends who we just visited in Uganda last Fall. Our Africa Delegation, minus a couple of students who are out of town for the holidays, joined the large and happy group eagerly awaiting the arrival of Spirit of Uganda at DFW airport. It was such a joyful occasion! After the welcome, we joined our friends for their first USA meal at Chipotle, a favorite restaurant of the Ugandan students who have been here before. We are so happy to see our friends and look forward to the weeks ahead when we will share many good times together!

People of Color Conference 2011

2011-12-02T18:31:00.000-06:00

This week, Ms. Estes, Chair of College Counseling, and I (Ms. Nipp, aka the DODGE), are attending the annual People of Color Conference sponsored by NAIS (the National Association of Independent Schools) in Philadelphia. The theme this year is "We the People - Painting our New Mural of Community."

This conference is always uplifting, informative and full of energy! One highlight this year was speaker Patti Solis Doyle (you recall that she was the first Latina to run a US presidential campaign - for Hillary Clinton). We also previewed a documentary film called "Why us? Left behind and Dying", a film made by teenagers about the high risk of HIV AIDS in African and African-American communities. And today, Ms. Estes and I attended a session about how college counseling and diversity can work together - which was perfect for us since those are our respective departments. It has been a great conference so far and we look forward to one more day of networking and learning tomorrow!

Downtown Philadelphia

Welcome from Pat Bassett, NAIS President

Speaker Patti Solis Doyle

Student Performances are a highlight of POCC every year

Saying Farewell to Uganda....

2011-11-22T14:54:00.000-06:00

Oh how we hated to say goodbye to our dear friends in Africa! Our last afternoon was spent at the training center of Empower African Children where we danced, played drums, laughed, ate and treasured our last moments together. It was an extra special time because we were surprised by a visit from Sr. Anne and some of the girls and teachers from St. Catherine's school who were in Kampala for the day for a field trip. What joy to bring these three extraordinary groups of young people together for one big celebration!

Ms. Obranovich created a wonderful activity for this festive group - Participants dipped their feet in paint and danced across a giant canvas, creating a wonderful piece of collective art. It was so fun to dance and to be together in this way! We only wish it could have gone on longer!

Today we are back in Dallas, remembering with great fondness our friends and good times in Uganda. We can't wait to see the Empower kids who will visit Dallas in the Spring. It's Thanksgiving time here in the USA and we have so much for which we are thankful - for the safe and healthy travels of the group, for all that we learned and experienced in Uganda and, most of all, for the friendships made and deepened. Thank You for welcoming us so warmly to your beautiful country and for teaching us so much! We love you and we can't wait to see you again!

The Official Residence of the US Ambassador to Uganda

2011-11-21T12:50:00.000-06:00

On our last morning in Kampala, we were honored to be invited to the official residence of our US Ambassador to Uganda. The home is a beautiful, fortified, multi-level home with a breath-taking views including a view toward Lake Victoria. Gracious as ever, Dr. Catherine Kannenberg, the spouse of Ambassador Lanier, welcomed us and gave us a great tour of the grounds. We particularly enjoyed all of the art in the home - some from Africa and some from North Carolina, the home state of Ambassador Lanier.

Of course, the biggest hit of the visit was Kya, the first dog of the US in Uganda. She was nothing but love! And our students and teachers could not get enough of her! She is pictured in the middle of our official photo below - so precious!

After our visit to the official residence, we were welcomed at the US Embassy by Ambassador Lanier (no photos were allowed so we don't have any that we can share here - but it was a lovely and impressive building). We had a tour and chatted for a few moments about what we had seen and learned on our trip. All of the students said that they were suprised by the extreme traffic and the numbers of people on the streets walking, working, celebrating, etc. Each student also stated that she plans to return to Africa and that this trip was a great awakening to the possibilities of serving (Serviam :)! ) around the world. We were also delighted to learn in more detail about the role of the US Embassy and about how those in the foreign service work to protect US interests and to further the cause of peace in our world.

EAC Video featuring UA Students

2011-11-20T07:07:00.000-06:00

During our time in Africa, EAC filmed this short video highlighting several of their projects and the beautiful children that they serve. They also included video of our students from our day at the Sanyu Babies Home. You can also see our dear friends, Agnes Kasule and Jeremy Philips, who were with us every step of the way in Uganda and who made our time there so phenomenal. By the way, this video was edited by our very own UA alum, Rosie Bryan, who also accompanied us on this journey and who brought endless joy to the group.

Safari !!!!

2011-11-19T03:34:00.001-06:00

Those aren't rocks in the background - they're hippos!!

Our adventuresome group spent Wednesday and Thursday in Northwest Uganda, at a National Park called Murchison Falls. It was the experience of a lifetime to see the animals in their natural habitats! We went on a boat safari in the afternoon and then on an early morning safari through the savannah. It was awesome!!!! And, other than a brief encounter with a rather bold baboon, it was the perfect way to celebrate being in Africa.
Note: the last 7 photos are courtesy of Rosie Bryan - Thanks Rosie!!

Bead for Life

2011-11-19T03:21:00.000-06:00

On Tuesday, we visited Bead for Life, an NGO working to teach women how to start businesses in order to lift themselves out of poverty. We had a fantastic experience as we discussed how transformative it is in a society when women are empowered. We talked and danced and were honored to spend time with these brave and strong women. And, of course, we supported their efforts by purchasing some of the gorgeous paper beads which they produce.

Jinja and the Source of the Nile

2011-11-19T03:06:00.000-06:00

Our week of adventure actually began on Monday when our group (plus some new friends from EAC) set out to the scenic spot of Bujagali Falls on the Nile and then to the town of Jinja to retrace the steps of the famous 19th century British explorer, John Hanning Speke, who is credited with "discovering" the source of the Nile river. The source is located where the Nile and Lake Victoria come together. It was a thrilling expedition and I am sure that we were just as excited as Speke when we reached the source of the Nile, bubbling up from the earth (of course, we arrived by bus and then tour boat - surely his path was a bit more rustic!) Unbeknownst to Speke at the time of his rather untimely death, he is indeed credited with discovering the source ahead of his colleague, Burton, and he is honored with a marker at this famous spot.

We stopped at the shrine to the famous Ugandan Martyrs on our way to Jinja

Photos from Bujagali falls...

Lots of monkeys inhabit this region!!

Sr. Gretchen, nun AND explorer!

We bid farewell to Srs. Anne and Gretchen and we continued our search for the source of the Nile...

The source of the Nile!!!

Good times with good friends in Jinja

Our group at the official marker ..

We are back in Kampala!!

2011-11-17T11:42:00.000-06:00

Hello! We are back in Kampala after a truly awesome safari adventure. It's late and time to regroup and shower but more posts will be coming soon - just wanted all to know that we are safely back at the ARA. And, by the way, Yes, perhaps I could have written sooner if we hadn't spent a good deal of the morning with our bus stuck in the mud... good times! I thought all back home would enjoy seeing this photo...

A little message from the Africa delegation...

2011-11-15T15:22:00.000-06:00

Greetings friends and family! We wanted you to know that tomorrow morning our happy group will set out on an overnight safari (yes, SAFARI!!) so we may or may not be posting as usual - Certainly we will make every effort to communicate because we know you are following us and we have much more to share. Please keep checking and don't be worried if we are not able to post - we'll be back, I promise! Secondly, we'd love to have some more comments and to know who is following our adventure. Thanks to those who have already commented - we LOVE your feedback and to hear from home!! Ask us a question or just give us your thoughts and impressions....

Goodnight from Africa!!!

Visiting Maureen's Home

2011-11-15T15:05:00.001-06:00

As we become closer and closer with our friends from EAC, it's easy to forget the hardships that they have suffered and the challenges that they have faced. As you know, all are orphans and / or vulnerable children who, if not for EAC, would surely be left without an education and with little hope for improving their situation in life. However, being with them, we are far more aware of their joy and their gratitude than from where they have come.
So, it was important for our students to see the home of one of the EAC students. On Saturday afternoon, we were given this wonderful opportunity and we visited the home of Maureen, one of the older students in EAC. Maureen comes from a very humble home - her mother has lived in the same one room home (without a separate kitchen, bathroom or bedroom) for over 20 years. Maureen's father abandoned the family and her mother has worked hard in the pork business to support her family. Maureen's aunt and brother live in that same room as does Maureen when she goes home from school and, until her recent passing, so did Maureen's grandmother.
It was an honor to meet Maureen's family and, even though we do not speak the same language (they speak Luganda, the local language), we were able to communicate our happiness at being able to meet one another. We took a small offering of groceries which were received with much delight and we were given some delicious roasted peanuts that Maureen's mother made just for us. So much of this exchange with Maureen's family and community was beautiful and spontaneous. And, afterward, our students said that they loved the visit (most said it was their favorite event of the trip so far) and that they had been eager to see a home. Take a look for yourself....

YAY Ally - She didn't drop the eggs (and there were LOTS of uneven surfaces!)

Each UA delegate received a big hug from Maureen's mom

Agnes and Sr. Anne chat with Maureen's grandfather

Thanking us for the grocieries

Maureen's mom shares a rare and precious photo with us

Sr. Gretchen cheerfully greets the family

Our peanuts - delicious!!!!

One of the children in Maureen's community - sticker on head courtesy of UA Seniors 2012

More fun, more stickers on heads

Examining the stickers with Mary Ann

Saying goodbye with big smiles

Maureen's beaming expression as we left her home - gorgeous!!

By the way, on Monday, Maureen took her final exams of high school and she plans to go to college next year!!

A little clip from Mass in Uganda

2011-11-14T22:26:00.000-06:00

Thanks to an unusually spectacular internet connection this evening, we were able to upload this very short video clip from Mass on Sunday - enjoy!

Sunday in Uganda

2011-11-14T16:56:00.001-06:00

Sunday was a day abundant with joy here in Uganda. First, we went to Mass at the Catholic YES (Youth Encounter the Savior) center. The celebrant was our dear and now old friend, Father Joe. Father Joe had joined us for dinner on Saturday night and made the students laugh all through dinner. So, we knew we were in for a treat to hear him on Sunday. And we were not disappointed! The Mass was beautiful - so joyful - with lots of singing, clapping and interaction. We were more than humbled when Fr. Joe addressed our group and said "You look like Jesus! You have come to a far away land with hearts for helping the poor - You are Jesus to us!" His words were a huge gift to us and one that we certainly didn't deserve. We came out of Mass pretty much walking on air and were shocked to discover that it had lasted two and a half hours! We had no idea! The students actually said "we could have stayed at that Mass forever.."

Fr.Joe and Sr. Anne from Kenya - after Mass

passing the candle as we sang "Come light your candle"

just before Mass...

Fr. Joe models his new UA t-shirt

So, after Mass we immediately headed over to the home and training center which belongs to Empower African Children, the organization which has made this trip possible for us. As many of you know, there is a group within EAC called "The Spirit of Uganda" and it is an awesome performing group which not only entertains but also educates and spreads awareness about the orphans and vulnerable children of Uganda (they'll be on tour in the USA in the Spring and will be performing at UA for Global Celebration Day). Well, we were welcomed to the center with a performance by Spirit of Uganda! WHAT a thrill and surprise it was!! Such awesome talent and energy!

I cannot express to those of you back home how much love and affection has already formed between our UA kids and the EAC kids - They may come from different worlds but I assure you that they are united in deep friendship.There is non-stop hugging, laughing and hilarity all around! It's a beautiful thing to watch and I wish you could all be here to see these relationships blossom ...

** all photos courtesy of Maddie S. and Ally R. - thank you!

Special Guests from Kenya join UA in Uganda

2011-11-13T22:42:00.000-06:00

Just when you thought things couldn't get any more special or fabulous in Africa... Sr. Anne and Sr. Gretchen, from St. Catherine's Girls' Primary School in Kenya, have joined the Africa Delegation for the weekend. Because our group was not able to go to Kenya, the sisters took time to cross the border in order to meet our students and to reconnect with Ursuline. It has been a joy to have them with us today as we attended Mass and then visited the home of the EAC kids. We'll share more about our day soon but we wanted you to know that our African family has temporarily added two new members and we couldn't be happier about spending this time with them!

Volunteering at Sanyu Babies Home

2011-11-13T16:20:00.000-06:00

Yesterday we volunteered at the Sanyu Babies Home, an orphanage for abandoned babies from 1 day old to 4 years old. It was a powerful, meaningful and totally exhausting experience. Our UA students were joined by some of the kids from EAC and together, they helped care for the 50 or so babies at Sanyu. The students did everything from sorting and hanging laundry to feeding and diapering the babies. All agreed that it was wonderful and that they were beyond tired afterward. In fact, several girls had sore arms today from carrying the babies.

One very happy story from yesterday is that we got to check up on Isaac, a baby that we met and blogged about back in April when our UA faculty members visited Sanyu. At the time, Isaac was a teeny tiny and severely malnourished baby. However, when we saw him again yesterday, we were amazed and thrilled to discover that he is a happy and very chunky baby boy today. His photo is below, with Ms. Nipp, who took lots of photos of him to show Ms. Escamilla, who fell in love with him and wanted to take him home. I am not sure if Ms. Escamilla could even lift Isaac today!

This day of service touched all of our hearts deeply and we know that the photos below will touch your hearts as well (so we included lots of photos). Sanyu expressed deep gratitude to all of those back in Dallas who made it possible for us to come to Africa to serve, even just a little, and for all of the donations of much needed items for the babies. Enjoy the photos below - I think they show the love and compassion that our UA students are so eager to share with those in need.

Art in Africa

2011-11-12T15:38:00.000-06:00

Entering the gallery

Blind faith

UA Art teacher, Ms. Obranovich, enjoying and contemplating the paintings

Some of Maria's work

The delegation adopting Ms. Nipp's signature pose

Our delegation poses with local Ugandan artists - Maria is in the middle and Harriet is on the the right in red

Yesterday our students had the opportunity to visit local artists at the home and gallery of Maria Naita, a renown Ugandan artist. They met Maria and some of her students, including Harriet, whose art is hanging in our UA Global Village along with a painting by Maria. Our UA students learned about the techniques that Maria uses in her art as well as about the themes - mostly women and children and much about how women are moving forward in society (love that!). It was a great honor for us to spend time with these talented artists! By the way, all of the photographs on this blog entry are from Mary Ann C., one of our student delegates and also a very talented artist :) !

Africa Delegation dines with Ambassador Lanier and Dr. Kannenberg

2011-11-11T23:12:00.000-06:00

Here we are again with our now old friends, US Ambassador Jerry Lanier and his delightful and accomplished wife, Dr. Catherine Kannenberg. This fabulous diplomatic couple was gracious enough to join us for dinner this past Thursday evening at Il Patio, a local Italian restaurant featuring the best chocolate lava cake on the planet. We enjoyed the delicious dinner (including lots of cake) and great conversation with this charming couple who never run out of interesting stories to share about their many international adventures. It was so great to host them recently in Dallas and now to see them again in Uganda. We are excited that we will actually see them again next week when they have invited us to visit their residence as well as the US Embassy. We cannot wait!!

UA Seniors Meet Former Secretaries of State

2011-11-11T15:13:00.000-06:00

While we are pleased to currently have two student delegations traveling abroad, it's important to remember that much is happening at home in Dallas. Check out the link below from The Bear Facts online to learn about the Junior World Affairs Council's recent excursion.

UA Seniors Meet Former Secretaries of State

Visiting the International Hospital Kampala (IHK)

2011-11-11T14:38:00.000-06:00

IHK

Candace, Jazz & Agnes after Candace's minor medical procedure

Learning about the Maternity Ward at IHK

To complete our day of learning about health care in Uganda, we visited the International Hospital of Kampala. This is an excellent private hospital which was founded by an Irish doctor and opened in 1996. Our student delegate, Candace, got to personally experience the excellent health care at IHK as she had to have some stitches removed from her chin - a result of a soccer injury back home. We had no trouble making an appointment for Candace - she was seen right away and attended by a very friendly and competent doctor. The procedure took about 10 minutes in a private area of the very clean Emergency ward and we paid a total of $ 9.00 for the visit. No one asked us about insurance.

After Candace's appointment, we caught up with the rest of the group in the Hope Ward, a ward within IHK which serves those who need major medical procedures such as facial reconstruction. It was very encouraging to learn about the important work that is done there to help the neediest of people.

We are so grateful to the many doctors and staff members who welcomed us to IHK and who generously shared their time with us!

Shopping for Sanyu Babies Home

2011-11-11T02:16:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, we had lunch in the food court of the Garden City Mall (Lebanese food). We took advantage of our time at the mall to stop in at the grocery store to buy supplies to donate tomorrow to the Sanyu Babies home. Actually, while we adults relaxed and organized details over lunch, we sent the students to the store with a list of needed baby supplies. They had to prioritize the needs and to decide what to buy. As you can see, they were most efficient in their teamwork and we will have lots to share with the babies tomorrow!

Africa delegation visits Mulago Hospital - The Children's Malnutrition Ward

2011-11-10T13:00:00.000-06:00

Our first stop this morning was Mulago Hospital, the largest public hospital in Uganda. We were a bit nervous about what sad things we might see there. However, we also know that health care is one of the greatest challenges in Africa and that we could learn a lot from a visit to this major hospital. Upon arrival, we saw lots of people outside, cooking food and washing clothes. Jeremey explained to us that, while the health care at Mulago is generally free, families must supply everything for a sick family member - sheets, towels, food, etc. As the bus went up the hill and along the many small buildings of Mulago, we saw vendors on the side of the road selling everything from food to baby-size coffins. Those coffins were a sobering sight and foreshadowed what we would learn about the mortality rate of the children in the malnutrition ward.

Edith, one of the EAC counselors, greets us at Mulago where she arranged for our tour of the Malnutrition Ward

Sarah, one of the dedicated social workers at Mulago, tells us about her work and about the people that she serves

There are three sections of the Children's Malnutrition Ward - Here is a little peek of the "Zebra" ward

One of the buildings of the Mulago Children's Malnutrtion Ward

These happy paintings were a result of a major and unusual donation to the malnutrition ward - The Elephant Ward is for the healthiest children who are almost ready to be discharged from the hospital

We offered a much needed donation of soap and other supplies from UA to the families of the children in the hospital

As you can well imagine, it was not easy to to tour the children's malnutrition ward because we saw babies and small children suffering with their concerned parents and grandparents beside them. Sarah, our guide through the ward, explained to us the many factors which contribute to the malnutrition of children - HIV, poverty, neglect, lack of education, etc. While we certainly felt overwhelemed by these issues, we also heard hope in what Sarah had to say. Sarah explained that they have learned that they must educate and support the mothers in many ways in order to keep the children well. So, Mulago has begun all sorts of classes for the mothers, often teaching them vocational skills, such as cooking and sewing, so that they can have an income for their families.

It's worth mentioning that the conditions that we saw in the children's mlnutrition ward were very good - there were plenty of beds and plenty of staff attending to the patients. However, Sarah pointed out that there are many times when this is not the case and that they get overcrowded. Also, this particular ward has special funding that the adult wards do not have so those wards are not in such good condition and are far more crowded than what we witnessed.

This visit, as we anticipated, was difficult but important. We were priveleged to be there and to be able to leave a tiny gift behind. Even though we didn't photograph the families in the ward, I am certain that we will carry their faces in our minds and hearts for a long time...

First Day - Welcome to Uganda!

2011-11-09T14:58:00.000-06:00

Oh, what a day !! Today was our very first day in Kampala and what a full and fantastic day it was! Knowing that our friends and family back home are more than eager to see photos, here are lots of them from today along with captions - Enjoy!

AM Briefing and Orientation with Jeremy Philips of Empower African Children (at the ARA where we are staying)

Kampala Traffic - lots of Boda bodas or motorcycle taxis - don't worry, we ride on the bus!

Pizza Lunch at the Speke Hotel in Downtown Kampala with our city guide, Jonathan

Ms. Nipp with Agnes Kasule, UA 2001 grad and Director of EAC in Kampala

Enjoying tropical juices at the Speke Hotel

On the steps of the Cathedral, all of Kampala is beyond the statue of our Blessed Mother - a gorgeous view!

Ms. Obranovich and Ms. Houston relaxing in front of the Cathedral

Touring the beautiful Cathedral of Kampala

On the grounds of the residence of the King of Buganda (a subnational Kingdom within Uganda - The Baganda are the largest ethnic group in Uganda) - Bugandan tradition demands that women wear skirts...

Mary Ann greets Bugandan children

A short hike overlooking lake Victoria

Maddie does the Happy Dance in front of the Bugandan King's residence

Ally admires the rosaries in front of the Cathedral

Our group with the local staff of Empower African Children - at their office

Shopping in the Nakasero market - here we are in the Spices section

As you can see, it was a busy and eye-opening day! I asked the girls about their first impressions of Africa and they mentioned being surprised at the traffic, the amount of people outside walking around and the amount of cell phones. They are also enjoying how much people immediately mention their admiration for President Obama when we say we are from the USA. Our students are greatly amused at being quite the celebrity- like sensation as they travel around and receive all sorts of attention from everyone - waves, hugs and lots of greetings welcoming them to Africa.

We are very proud that Jeremy (from EAC - he is working on the EAC school and is living here in Kampala with his family) has told the group that they are tops in energy level, enthusiasm for speaking and learning the local language and in being on time - woo hoo! We love to hear that praise for our student delegation!

Goodnight from Africa!

News from our Brazil Delegation

2011-11-09T14:13:00.000-06:00

We just received this wonderful slide show from our UA sisters in Brazil! They are having a great time in beautiful Bahia where our sister school in Ilheus has been hosting the group. A few highlights so far have been joining in the end of year celebrations (our sister school closes their school year in December), learning about cocoa and chocolate production and a visit to a tree sloth sanctuary. Glad to know that all are well and loving the thrill of Brazil!

Africa Delegation arrives in Uganda!!

2011-11-08T03:13:00.004-06:00

Leaving DFW

Our first student delegation to Africa has just arrived in Kampala, Uganda this evening! We are tired but very happy to be here after our long journey. Some of the staff and children from Empower African Children welcomed us at the airport with signs and lots of joy. We hope you will follow our adventure these next two weeks as we explore the "challenges and opportunities of modern Africa."

Maggie is ready to go!

Audrey and Candace are clearly experienced travelers

Mary Ann and her mom at DFW

Looking a bit tired (and unimpressed with Ms. Nipp) at London Heathrow airport

Cheerful in London - half way there!

What a fabulous welcome to Africa!!!

More love and welcoming from EAC

On board Air Force One, our bus :)!

Happily arrived at the ARA, our home in Uganda

Brazil Delegation departs for Bahia

2011-11-03T23:30:00.000-05:00

Today our 2011 Brazil delegation departed for Ilheus, Bahia, where they will enjoy a cultural and educational exchange with our sister school, Nossa Senhora da Piedade. Our global group is currently headed for Salvador, Brazil from Miami and they should be in Ilheus by early tomorrow afternoon. We wish the delegation a safe and happy journey and we can't wait to hear about their Brazilian adventure!

Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business Conference

2011-10-30T23:29:00.000-05:00

Luncheon Keynote, Legendary Fashion Designer Diane Von Furstenberg

Conference Session on Journalism and Publishing

Nya and Nikki enjoying a session

Regina Escamilla, Treasurer of the HUWIB Conference

An impressive group of women!!!

Marisela, Calla, Nikki and Nya pose with Alex Witt, MSNBC News Anchor

Yesterday our enthusiastic student leaders attended the Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business Conference along with 1000 college-age women from Ivy League Universities and universities from all over the world. It was an awesome event with a tremendous energy from all of these talented and visionary young women. The theme of the conference was "Find your passion, Build your future!" Conference sessions were offered on a wide variety of topics in business including entrepreneurship, networking, the fashion industry and journalism.

The keynote speakers were dynamic and inspiring. Diane Von Furstenberg shared the story of her fabulous and decades-long career and how she made her way at a time when so few women were leading major corporations. And both Diane Von Furstenberg and MSNBC Anchor, Alex Witt, encouraged the young women to trust their intuition and to listen to their inner voices. We felt very honored to have Ms. Furstenberg give a special greeting to our table as she left the ballroom and also when Ms. Witt was kind enough to chat with us after her speech and to pose with our students. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for our students and we are profoundly grateful to the undergraduate women at Harvard for inviting a younger generation of women to share in the learning of their conference!

UA Students visit Harvard University

2011-10-29T23:48:00.000-05:00

Visiting the Library

Walking around Cambridge

Our scholarly group

Regina Escamilla, UA 2008, Harvard 2012, showing the girls around campus

Nikki and Calla

Enjoying shopping at the Coop :)

Yesterday our UA students spent the day exploring Harvard University and Cambridge, Massachusetts. They had a great time learning about college life here on the East Coast. They visited the library, the Art Museum, Harvard Yard, the Business school, student dorms and, of course, the famous Harvard Coop, Harvard's bookstore. It was a wonderful way to prepare for the Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business Conference which we attended today. More on this awesome event coming soon!
And by the way, yes, we are snowed in at our hotel in Boston due to a very severe and early snowstorm which has caught us all (including the entire East Coast) by surprise. Our early flight tomorrow has been cancelled but we hope to be home tomorrow night! Thanks for all of your well wishes - no worries, we are all safe and still enjoying lots of "chowda" which is keeping us warm!

UA Student Leaders arrive in Boston for Harvard Business Conference

2011-10-27T22:51:00.001-05:00

Marisela makes a great travel statement in purple !

Calla and Nya waiting for a taxi with Ms. Nipp

Marisela and Nikki pose with Mrs. Escamilla, our trip organizer and YLC sponsor

Having fun just before the snowfall

Today four of our dynamic UA student leaders arrived in Boston. On Saturday, they will be attending the 7th Annual Intercollegiate Business Convention organized by Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business. The UA students have all served as leaders and coaches of UA's YLC Great Debate team. In fact, under their leadership Ursuline took first place at the state competition this past July! The students were invited to Harvard by one of our young alums, Regina Escamilla '08, who is an organizer of the conference and a senior at Harvard.

Tonight, the students had a most enjoyable evening getting their first glimpse of Boston and their first taste of Boston seafood, including clam "chowda." It was also the first day that it has snowed in Boston this Fall so that was a really awesome and surprising beginning to the weekend for our Texas travelers. Tomorrow will bring an opportunity to tour Harvard as well as to meet some of the young women involved in the conference. We'll be sure to keep you posted on this fantastic Ivy League experience!

Brazil Delegation prepares for departure

2011-10-26T00:05:00.000-05:00

Next week, our 2011 Brazil delegation will depart for our sister school, Nossa Senhora da Piedade, in Ilheus, Brazil. Our delegation of 9 students and 2 chaperones could not be more excited as they countdown to their departure date. You can follow their adventure right here on our blog starting November 3rd!

The 2011 Brazil Delegation

Welcome Ambassador Lanier and Dr. Kannenberg !!

2011-10-23T20:22:00.000-05:00

UA GAGAs prepare a word of welcome for our special guests

The Global Village has a distinctly African flair

Dr. Kannenberg, UA Junior Carolyn O. and Ambassador Lanier

Dr. Kannenberg describes a day in her unique life...

Ambassador Lanier speaks to students in the UCPA

Staff of Empower African Children with members of our Africa delegation

Dr. Kannenberg is happy to see photos of her beloved pets on the Welcome board

Sr. Margaret Ann welcomes our special guests to UA

Dr. Kannenberg poses with UA students and Ms. Nipp

Last Thursday was a very special day at Ursuline. We welcomed Ambassador Jerry Lanier and his wife, Dr. Catherine Kannenberg to our school. We were privileged to hear each of these fascinating people speak. In the morning, Ambassador Lanier spoke to us about his life and responsibilities as a US Ambassador. Students were extremely curious as they asked questions about everything from Diplomatic Immunity to the challenge of water issues in Africa. It was a wonderful and rich conversation and we felt so special that Ambassador Lanier would take the time to visit our school community.

In the afternoon, Dr. Kannenberg spoke to students in the KIVA. Students were mesmerized as they listened to her describe "A day in the life." It was so interesting to hear about how Dr. Kannenberg balances her responsibilities as the wife of a US Ambassador and her own career and professional identity. Of course, there was deep interest in her pets and in the famous people that she has met in Africa (such as Jane Goodall, the world's foremost expert on Chimpanzees - wow!).

The visit of this dynamic diplomatic couple is one that we will remember and treasure at Ursuline. We are so grateful to both Ambassador Lanier and to Dr. Kannenberg for including us in their busy schedule. It is a comfort and a matter of pride to know that we in the United States have such vibrant and brilliant couple representing our country in Africa.

We look forward to seeing Ambassador Lanier and Dr. Kannenberg again when our delegation visits Uganda in November!

UA community members attend World Affairs Council event with Ambassador Lanier

2011-10-22T21:46:00.022-05:00

Ursuline students pose with Ambassador Lanier and his spouse, Dr. Catherine Kannenberg

Sr. Margaret Ann with founders of Empower African Children, Donna Malouf and Alexis Hefley

waiting to hear Ambassador Lanier

UA faculty and staff on the way to the World Affairs event

Frank Roby of Empower African Children with Ambassador Jerry Lanier

Last Tuesday evening, numerous members of our UA community had the privilege of attending a special event through the World Affairs Council of Dallas / Ft. Worth. We went to the Crescent Rosewood Hotel to hear Ambassador Jerry Lanier speak. Ambassador Lanier is the US Ambassador to Uganda. We at UA have many connections to Ambassador Lanier, including our friendship with Empower African Children, so were eager to attend and to learn more about the opportunities for US businesses in Africa. It was a great evening and it gave our students a wonderful insight into our local African communities. We all had an enjoyable evening and we learned a great deal about the business opportunities that are possible and emerging in the developing world.

Preparing for Africa with Empower African Children

2011-10-14T22:19:00.001-05:00

Jazz and Candace are ready to model these fashionable safari shoes

Ally likes the safari boot.

Our happy group

Alexis Hefley of EAC explains the marketing plan of UWEZO shoes

Reviewing details of our travel itinerary

Learning more about the children in Uganda

This past Thursday evening, our Africa delegation visited the Dallas office of Empower African Children. Our delegation will travel to Uganda and Kenya with Empower African Children in November so there is much to learn and to prepare. As many of you know, EAC is an organization that makes a deep investment in the education of orphans and vulnerable children in Uganda. Their good work and deep commitment transforms lives so we are honored to partner with this awesome organization.

While we were at the EAC office, we learned a lot about their organization and the situation of children in Uganda. We were particularly thrilled to learn about UWEZO ("you way zoe") shoes, a new project of EAC where a percentage from the sale of these great Kenyan-made shoes will benefit EAC. The shoes will be available for sale at Macy's starting in November (the men's line). The women's shoes will be available for order through UWEZO's Facebook page (be sure to "like" them!). Our fashion-forward delegation was thrilled to pre-order their safari shoes so that they can support EAC even before we leave for Uganda.

This will be our first Ursuline student delegation to Africa so we are filled with excitement and anticipation of the adventure that lies ahead. We'll be reporting on our adventure here on the blog so please stay tuned - we depart November 8th!

Farewell to our sisters from Huaxia Girls' School

2011-10-08T17:15:00.001-05:00

Well, it's never easy to say farewell to a dear friend... and the departure of our guests from China was no exception. Many tears were shed as the delegation departed on Friday afternoon. During our last hours together, we had a farewell performance in the KIVA where the girls from China amazed us with their many talents. The performance ended in an exchange of gifts between the two schools (we received a gorgeous floral painting, made by one of the young students at Huaxia as well as brochures about Huaxia and Huaxia received a digital frame and photos from Ursuline as well as a framed photo marking our participation in the Confucius Classroom).

To ease the pain of goodbye, we shared a delicious butter cream cake, complete with two hugging girl bears. As you can see in the photos, goodbye was the hardest on our wonderful host students who became so close to their guest sisters in this very short time. Of course, we adults were pretty wrecked by the goodbye as well.

Happily, we are looking ahead to 2012 when we hope to be reunited with our Huaxia sisters! We are already planning for our Spring delegation to China and for the visit of a group from Huaxia in the Fall. We can't wait to be together again!

Learning from each other ...

2011-10-08T12:22:00.033-05:00

Oh, how much we enjoyed and learned this past week! Despite the shortness of our time with our friends from China, we were able to learn and experience much! On Monday, the teachers made a wonderful presentation to our faculty about life and curriculum at Huaxia Academy - we were delighted to learn that they have a new class in "International Understanding" and also that they are becoming a laptop school - just like UA!

The Huaxia students gave a thrilling presentation in the UCPA as part of Chinese culture week where they talked about their daily lives and also about their favorite things (such as moon cakes - yumm!). One of the visiting teachers taught a chemistry lesson about how to make tofu and the Chinese culture teacher taught a lesson about China's many festivals.

We also did our best to share lessons with our guests and a favorite lesson was in Mr. Thompson's Printmaking class where the students made prints of an Ursuline sunburst. They later received the same print on T-shirts which they immediately put on for the excursion to the State Fair.

So little time - so much to learn!

2011-10-07T11:15:00.000-05:00

One highlight of our time with our Chinese guests was our visit to the State Fair of Texas. We had a fantastic time introducing our friends to true Texas culture - including a warm greetng by an authentic cowboy named Larry and a fantastic food we celebrate known as the corny dog.

Accompanying the delegation were Mrs. Giraud and Mrs. Yung from the Math department as well as our students, Gabby and Lauren. It's hard to say what we enjoyed the most - the butter sculpture, the African acrobats or all of the special foods (the turkey legs & ice cream were favorites). The very best part of our day was just being together and laughing together!

Visiting Peak Academy

2011-10-04T22:52:00.000-05:00

Today we had a wonderful time when our Chinese delegation visited the 2nd grade scholars at Peak Academy. They were accompanied by our UA Mandarin IV students and together they presented lessons on Chinese language and culture. The 2nd graders were so sharp and enthusiastic! And such quick learners! By the time we left, the young students were experts on using chop sticks, counting from 1-10 in Mandarin and singing several Chinese tunes.

It was a great experience for our students to be the teachers and we hope that the children had at least half of the fun we had! It was a very special day and we thank Peak Academy for welcoming our friends from China to their fantastic school!

Welcome Huaxia!

2011-10-03T21:51:00.028-05:00

Oh what a special day we had at Ursuline today as we welcomed our sister school, Huaxia Girls' School, from Beijing. The Chinese Delegation, made up of 14 students and 4 teachers, arrived on Saturday after spending a couple of days in Los Angeles. The entire UA student body participated in the welcome parade which required our guests to walk through the school. It was extremely festive and joyful to see our hundreds of UA students cheering, holding balloons & welcome signs, twirling ribbons and blowing bubbles in honor of our guests. Even Honey Buns, our school mascot, helped by giving hugs and gifts to our friends.

This is the first visit of our Chinese sister school since 2008 so it was also the first experience of a Chinese delegation for most of our students. As you can see,even though our time together has just begun, our bonds of love and sisterhood are already very strong.

We are so happy to have our Huaxia sisters here and we look forward to the awesome week ahead!

Association of Maintained Girls' Schools Conference

2011-09-30T19:29:00.000-05:00

Today was our final day in London and it was also the day that we made our presentation at the Association of Maintained Girls' Schools Conference. The conference was attended by Heads of Girls' Schools from all over England. The speakers were excellent and they discussed a wide range of topics including the lack of girls in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) fields, issues facing girls today and how schools can go from good to great.

We were the last to speak at the conference today. Mrs. Bauer presented information on issues facing girls in the USA, national organizations and resources in the USA for Girls' Schools and ways that schools can connect virtually. I presented information on our Sister School relationships and partnerships as well as on some of the other student activities at UA related to Global Education.

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament

Mrs. Bauer presenting to the British Heads of Girls' Schools

Ms. Nipp with our Beautiful Hostess, Mrs. Julia Waters, Headteacher at Ursuline Wimbledon

The famous Double-Decker bus

London Bridge over the Thames

Our British counterparts were most complimentary about out presentations and we agreed that there are countless ways that we can continue to connect "across the pond." The evening ended with a beautiful banquet in our lovely conference hotel which has a breathtaking view of Big Ben. And tomorrow we will head home and bid farewell to our British friends who have been such gracious and attentive hosts this past week. Cheers!

Visiting Ursuline High School Wimbledon

2011-09-27T12:09:00.000-05:00

touring the chapel

Dina and her art work

With Sr. Ann Marie

Ursuline High Girls' reading group

We feel so at home here!

more cool art

PE class

the chapel

the main courtyard - also among red brick buildings

This week, Mrs. Bauer, UA Director of Technology and I (Ms. Nipp, UA "DODGE"), are spending the week in England, visiting our sister school and later speaking at a conference in London for Heads of British Girls' Schools. We have spent two days with our friends and colleagues at Ursuline High School Wimbledon and it has been both fascinating and productive. Yesterday, we enjoyed a tour of the school with two student leaders, Dina and Paula - Paula has actually visited us in Dallas and Dina hopes to visit us next year. We were interested in each department but spent most of our time in the Arts & Drama building where we chatted with Mr. Lord, a music and drama teacher who spent his high school years in Dallas (at Skyline High School).

After our tour, we spent the afternoon meeting with various department heads of the school. We learned a lot about Ursuline High School, their global curriculum and student life in general. We also had lunch with Sister Ann Marie, one of the school counselors, who we remembered fondly from her 2009 visit to Dallas.

We are so grateful to Ursuline Wimbledon for inviting us to visit and for their warm and wonderful hospitality. It has already been a fantastic experience and we are looking forward to meeting even more inspiring British educators at our conference later this week!

Peace One Day

2011-09-22T23:22:00.000-05:00

UA Students pray in the front circle

Faculty and Staff join in our Peace One Day bracelet making

Juniors model their new Peace One Day bracelets - lovely!

Every year at Ursuline, we honor Peace One Day, an international day of non-violence and ceasefire. This day, September 21, was declared the International Day of Peace by the United Nations in 2001 through the efforts of British documentary film-maker, Jeremy Gilley. Mr. Gilley brought his vision to Ursuline years ago and we committed to honoring this day every year. Because Peacemaking is a core value of all Ursuline schools, it is fitting that we should celebrate this day annually.

This year we held a prayer service outside in the front circle. The Peer Ministers led the service where we listened to excellent international music from the last World Cup and then took some time to pray and reflect. Finally, we each braided a bracelet with a partner in celebration of peace and friendship. Now we are all sporting our new bracelets which remind us of the urgent need for peace in our world.

Walk for Wheels!

2011-09-17T12:56:00.000-05:00

Today members of the Ursuline Community came to campus in support of "Walk for Wheels", an event organized by our Senior GAGA (Girls Asisting Global Awaereness), Lila L. It was a wonderful event which raised money to buy wheelchairs for people in Honduras who cannot afford them. This important cause is Lila's passion and she is determined to do all that she can to help those in need - Yeah Lila! UA parents, students, faculty and even pets came out for the walk. Luckily, the weather was excellent and a good time was had by all!

Congratulations YLC Team!

2011-09-15T12:34:00.001-05:00

Last Wednesday evening, a ceremony was held in the KIVA to celebrate our UA YLC (Young Leader's Conference) team. This fabulous group of 29 girls brought home the Silver Cup (that's First Place!) from The Great Debate Competition in Austin this summer. This annual competition is held every summer as part of The National Hispanic Institute. Ursuline has participated in the competition for 5 years and this was our very first 1st Place win!!! We are so proud of our participants - all from our current Sophomore class - but we are equally proud of our older students who served as the YLC coaches. They were the key to the success!

This team is moderated by Mrs. Escamilla who is quick to point out all of the community support that the team receives both from within UA and beyond our campus. We are so grateful to have so many invested in the success of our students!

Mr. and Mrs. Escamilla expressing their gratitude

Proud parents chat with Ms. Bourgeois and Sr. Margaret Ann

The Escamilla Family with our great friend & supporter, Alexis Hefley

The winning team is officially documented by Mr. Thompson

They're cute - but don't be fooled! They are FIERCE and FEARED competitors!

Calla presenting the awards

Current UA freshmen, we'd love to see you get involved with YLC next summer! See Ms. Nipp or Mrs. Escamilla for more information on how you can sharpen your leadership and presentation skills by joining YLC!

UA Global Book & Movie Club Invitation

2011-09-14T14:51:00.000-05:00

Attention all UA Employees: Tomorrow during A & B Lunch, we will feature a 30 minute excerpt from the documentary film Babies in the KIVA. Babies follows four infants from four different cultures during their first year of life. It is a heart-warming film which reminds us both of how different and how similar we are.

Show times are tomorrow, Thursday September 15, at 12:30 and 1:15. Bring your lunch and come join us in the KIVA!

Check out the trailer below:

http://www.focusfeatures.com/video/babies_the_trailer

Welcome Adriana !!

2011-08-26T11:07:00.000-05:00

We are delighted to welcome Adriana M. as our new exchange student to Ursuline. She is a member of the junior class. Adriana is from Bolivia where she lives with her mom and 13 year old sister. She will be with us for a year and will be taking a variety of interesting classes such as Studio Art, Journalism and French. Adriana is an AFS ( afs.org ) exchange student and she is living with her Ursuline sister, Haley F., who is also a junior. This will be Adriana's first experience at an all girls' school and she tells us that she is very happy to be here, even with our hideous high temperatures. Adriana is especially enthusiastic about perfecting her English and making new friends at Ursuline.
Bienvenida Adriana!!!

Welcome Back to School!

2011-08-22T11:32:00.000-05:00

The halls of our academy are alive once again with the happy sounds of enthusiastic students. Today we welcomed back the class of 2012 and we will have a full week of orientation fun as all of the classes arrive, one by one. Friday, we'll all be together for the first day of classes!

Ready for Senior Year!

It's a busy and exciting time for the entire school community and we in the DODGE office are no exception. We are currently preparing the host application forms for those wishing to apply to host our sisters from Huaxia Academy of Beijing in October. We are also just about ready with the applications for those who wish to travel to Africa (seniors only) and Brazil (sophomores, juniors and seniors) this Fall. By Friday, we'll be ready for all of our students and ready for the exciting school year ahead!!

New Year, New Look

2011-08-11T21:56:00.002-05:00

This poster was a gift from Ursuline High School in Wimbledon, England

These photographs are of the lovely Colegio Santa Ursula in Santiago, Chile

This beautiful painting is the work of a female artist in Uganda

Ms. Vander Linden has reorganized her display shelf with international treasures.

Welcome to our new 2011-12 blog! It's a new school year and we are preparing for the arrival of our students in a few short weeks. Over the summer we framed some of the beautiful art that we have received from our sister schools as well as some of the art that we have collected from around the world. We hope you'll stop by the Global Village to say hello and to see our latest additions. It's going to be a great year!