MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Class was in session and these students at Bolton High school were learning about the play Julius Ceasar.
“In here it’s more like Ohana. That means family. No one is getting left behind at Bolton High School. No one,” said Janna Magesep.
This family of kids were in the International Baccalaureate or IB program.
It’s for high achieving students and the work was controlled on an international level.
So they were doing different work than their fellow SCS classmates, but the same work as other students in this course all over the world.
The international element rings very true in this class because so many of the kids were from all over the world.
Tess Abdi’s family came to Memphis by way of Ethiopia.
“We come from so may different places and we blend our cultures together,” she said. “We learn more from being in classes with people from different places.”
They told WREG they learn the same things as other students.
English, Math, Psychology, but not in the traditional sense.
They wrapped it into an international perspective.
Mangasep compared it to travel.
“Even if I don’t get the chance to, at least I know the different views. I get to know what other cultures are like. I’m not just in this one place,” she said.
Christy Brawner was their English teacher, and she said the lack of understanding other cultures is what created conflict.
Their IB program was making a real difference for these students – especially at a school that’s often over looked and forgotten.
“They are here because there is something that we offer them that’s different than other places like a regular generic high school,” she said.
They were proud to embrace diversity and let it fuel their worldly education from right here in Memphis.