De Pere -
St. Norbert College played host today to students from area high schools focused on tackling a global issue.
It's an exercise in preparing them to understand how issues abroad affect us at home.
The setting is Brussels, Belgium, headquarters of the European Union.
Flags represent each country, here to debate if there should be a unification of the E-U.
"I can't possibly emulate this in the classroom," says Green Bay Preble Social Studies teacher Jeff Kline watching on at the Bemis International Center.
Eight of the brightest minds from 13 area high schools have researched for two months the challenges facing Europe.
Each school is assigned a country and must negotiate its position.
Students quickly realize this is not an easy task.
"We've tried to put proposals forward that can cover everything everybody wants, but it's hard to compromise in this situation, everyone has their individual needs," says Zach Holden, a junior at Plymouth High School.
That's the goal of this annual conference; to challenge students to think beyond themselves and understand issues with growing globalization.
"Learning how another country thinks because let's face it these kids grew up as Americans, they probably have never experienced another culture, if they have it's for a one week vacation in Cancun," says event organizer Dr. Joe Tullbane, Associate Dean for International Education at St. Norbert College.
Students and their teachers say the experience is invaluable.
"Because we will be the future of our own nation and we need to see what is going on in Europe and be able to learn from what is going on there as they learn from us," says Two Rivers High School senior Mckenzie Smith.
"It's a trite phrase to say the world is shrinking, it's also true," remarks Tullbane.
"This is what education should be, this is how this should work, anyway we can increase or expand this type of program across content areas would be wonderful," adds Kline.
