Students enrolled in Pennington’s Global Studies Certificate Program hosted an international video conference last week with other students from the Round Square network. Round Square (RS), an international community comprising over 260 schools across 50 countries, has termed these sessions "Zoom Postcards," and the experiences further tap into the six themes, or IDEALS (International Understanding, Democracy, Environmental Stewardship, Adventure, Leadership, and Service), which drive the organization. 

Juniors Brett S., Ella S., and Aiyan D. designed, organized, and ran the entire 60-minute conference, with several other students from Pennington’s program participating. The theme of the conference was "Leisure Unlocked: How We Relax and Recharge," and to encourage the open exchange of student voices, adults were forbidden to speak! The Pennington hosts were joined by teens from South Africa, Germany, Greece, India, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, and Canada. Students shared a robust discussion regarding the ways in which young people like to spend their free time, how they navigate increasingly demanding schedules, and the creative ways they have found to relax and unwind. 

These “Zoom Postcards” provide a forum for students from around the world to connect and discuss topics of interest to them. Experiential learning opportunities like these allow students to increase their global awareness, empathy, and leadership skills.