Career Partners Selects High School Teachers for Latin American Sojourn

Wednesday, April 5th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Last year, Career PartnerÂ¹s International 2000 Executive Committee made it possible for two business teachersâ€¹Angela Jackson of Union High School and Bud Hail of Will Rogers High Schoolâ€¹to travel to Europe and learn first-hand
about the euroÂ¹s impact on global trade.

"My experience was so well rounded," said Angela upon her return to Tulsa. "I was able to bring back real life experience as well as tangible objects to share with Union faculty
across the curriculum."

Building on last year's success, International 2000 has chosen two more teachers from a pool of 12 candidates to visit Mexico City and Buenos Aires. High school business and foreign language teachers from TPS, Union, Broken Arrow, Jenks and Sapulpa school districts were invited to apply.

Stacey Vernon, a Spanish teacher and Foreign Language Department chair at Memorial High School, and Lyda Wilbur, a Spanish teacher at Booker T. Washington High
School, traveled from March 2-12.

On the eve of her departure, Stacey was already looking forward to sharing
her experience with her students. "I have many students who express an interest in studying business, but see no practical reason to continue with a foreign language beyond the minimum requirements," she said. "As
department chair at Memorial, responsible for setting curriculum, I will be able to ensure that every foreign language student is exposed to the relationship between languages and international business."

"Their main focus was on NAFTA, explained International 2000 Program Manager Carol McGowen. "But they also considered the impact of culture on business conduct in Latin America. After meetings with business and
government officials in Mexico City and Buenos Aires, they can bring first-hand impressions into the classroom," she said.

Both teachers are expected to take advantage of their schoolsÂ¹ distance learning capabilities
to disseminate information throughout the community. "That way, students and
faculty throughout northeast Oklahoma can benefit from this unique international learning experience," said McGowen.

The University of Tulsa Business Administration Department offers the trip
each year to International Marketing students. "We are pleased to collaborate with Career Partners, and we appreciate the opportunity to include high school faculty on our trips," said TU Marketing Professor
Lester Neidell.

Participants are asked to pay a portion of their travel expenses, and Career Partners is responsible for fundraising to complete the package. Sponsors to date include Bama Companies, Southside Rotary Foundation, Bank One, and Louis Coleman and Priscilla Harris of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce.

Additional sponsors are still needed. If you or your company is interested in supporting this worthwhile project, please call Carol McGowen at 560-0243.