Ranked for years among the most diverse private schools in Illinois, Morgan Park Academy’s focus on global studies and community diversity includes the arrival of 13 high school students from across the globe for the 2021-2022 school year.
Students from China, France, Italy, Norway, Spain, and Taiwan joined the MPA community this fall — some as four-year students and others on one-year exchange programs — and are living with host families throughout the Beverly and Morgan Park area.
“International students and student exchange have a long history at Morgan Park Academy, and we are proud to have so many students from around the world this year,” Head of School Mercedes Z. Sheppard said.
“Learning from and with peers from a host of cultures and nationalities is hugely beneficial for all of our students as they prepare to meet head-on the challenges of an increasingly global world.”
MPA maintains one of the most diverse and inclusive school communities in Chicago through a commitment to not only diversity in race, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic background, but also an inclusive culture that ensures that all students, families, faculty, and staff feel like welcome and valued members of the community.
“International students and student exchange have a long history at Morgan Park Academy, and we are proud to have so many students from around the world this year,” Head of School Mercedes Z. Sheppard said.
Students discover the world through a perspective-widening, global focus integrated throughout the MPA experience. Scores of students travel abroad each year, and on campus, teachers interpret events and ideas in their larger, global context, challenging students of all ages to step outside their comfort zones and their zip codes.
“It has been such an incredible experience welcoming April and Lou Ann into our home,” host parent Allie Bowles said. “We have been excited to show off Chicago, the warm hospitality of the South Side, and of course the MPA community, all while embracing Taiwanese and French culture in our home.”
The school is seeking host families for additional international students scheduled to arrive for the second semester. Interested families are invited to email admissions@morganparkacademy.org by Nov. 15 to learn more about applying to be a host family.
“We are having so much fun learning about each other’s experiences,” host parent Meg Carey said. “My student shares her French culture with me and I’ve been helping her learn American customs. This fall, she went to the homecoming dance with friends and had a great time. While we may be different in some ways, we find there are many things that we share in common.”
