Students at the OWN "Get Global" conference at the University of Washington in April 2012
In 2010, PAAC in partnership with OneWorld Now! (OWN) (a non-profit organization based out of Seattle, Washington), offered the first high school level Arabic language and leadership program in the state of Hawai’i. This program, OneWorld Now!-Hawai’i (OWN-HI), is replicated after OWN’s innovative model of language acquisition, leadership development, and study abroad opportunities in public high schools. It has provided a unique opportunity for Campbell High School students to develop their skills in this critical and rapidly growing language while concurrently cultivating their leadership abilities.
Students in this program dedicate two afternoons a week for language training (both in Arabic I and II) with Professor Adly Mirza, who teaches Arabic at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa. They also meet once a week with PAAC staff, Natasha Schultz and Stacy Nojima, for leadership training. In April of 2012, the entire class traveled to Seattle, Washington to lead workshops and give TED talks at OWN’s “Get Global,” a student run conference. Students in the OWN-HI program have studied in Qatar (in 2011) and Brazil, Costa Rica, Morocco and Ohio (in 2012).
Campbell High School has been enthusiastic and supportive of this endeavor, which compliments their efforts as an International Baccalaureate School. OneWorld Now!-Hawai’i, is made possible by generous support from OWN and Qatar Foundation International. For more information, please call 808-944-7759.
