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Wednesday September 3, 2U01 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER FOURTH LINE A U TO G O O D Y E A R F o r A ll Y o u r C a r 's N e e d s Drive Clean Emission Testing Government Safety Inspection Tune-Ups · Brakes · Exhaust · Cooling Systems CAA Approved Shop V 559 Speere Road (905) 842-3001 J O F F IC IA L M E D I A S P O N S O R O F T H E O A K V IL L E W A T E R F R O N T F E S T IV A L Focus d lO a k M U le / I W ix t e r f r c m i: ^ # R o r-ls s e n e e 5 ^ Oakville Beaver Focus E ditor: W ILM A BLO KHU IS 845-3824 Ext: 250; Fax: 337-5567; Em ail: blokhuis@haltonsearch.com Adifferentkind ofsummerschool Four students earn OACs in Europe Oakville students have participated in every MEI excursion since the academy's founding in 1997, whether Some kids go to the cottage for the it be full semester affairs or summer summer, others work for tuition, but a trips, and this sum m er's crew hailed from Queen Elizabeth Park. quartet of Oakville students were at Oakville-Trafalgar and St. Ignatius of summer school -- coming as close as Loyola secondary schools. they could to stepping into a time Amid the popularity of alternative machine to earn credits in classrooms education programs, MEI takes that at Europe's famous landmarks. to the limit by providing a unique Where better to learn about the opportunity for students to travel Roman Empire than in the Roman throughout Europe while wrapping up Forum or The Colosseum? some senior high school credits W hat better way to picture The which are recognized through the Bard's Richard III than at the Tower Upper Grand District School Board of London, or to take in a stage per (near Guelph). formance at the Royal Shakespeare All learning takes place on site, Theatre in Stratford-Upon-Avon. said Pirone. For example, the French Most recall that familiar essay Revolution is taught on the grounds assignment W hat I Did On My of the Palace of Versailles. Summer Vacation, and four local Students also use the most modem youths could ace it because they technology, like laptops and web hooked up with MEI International diaries, to track their adventures. Academy. During the full semester, three"MEI is run by teachers, and we month adventure, Pirone said students hold education as our number one priority. We are not a travel agency or learn history by literally tracing it backward in time, traveling from tour company, but the educational Paris, France through medieval stud experience of a lifetime," said Lisa ies in Italy, to the Roman Empire and Pirone of the Cedar Mills, OntarioGreek mythology. based outfit, located just north of Turning students on to learning by Bolton, Ontario. making the experience real and Pirone isn't kidding. intriguing obviously works. Pirone The history major at Trent said MEI class averages top 85%. University who hopes to become a MEI was founded by teacher Joe history teacher, is herself an MEI Mei who'd amassed a wealth of over alumni. sees teaching experience before he "I'd never taken a history course launched the academy in 1997, where in high school. I thought it was just he still teaches. the driest thing on the face of the M EI offers education at an 8:1 earth. This experience completely did pupil-teacher ratio. All teaching is a 180 on my opinion," said Pirone. done on location and bus travel is "It's the best you can do without kept to a minimum. stepping into a time machine," observed Pirone. The $4,500 to $5,000 fee includes airfare, accommodation, admissions, Some 150 high school students breakfast and dinner and other sundry recently returned home from a fourweek, educational, European odyssey. , costs. Students who want to participate Students traveled throughout must apply, show proof of academic France, Germany, Italy, Spain and achievement, references, ace a per Great Britain experiencing the lan sonal interview, and be well-rounded guage, culture, and history, all while youths who thirst to experience life, completing OAC history or language said Pirone. credits. OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Stories by Angela Blackburn Photo by Riziero Vertolli Cynthia Conway, 17, picked up a few reminders of the summer she spent in Europe with the MEI International Academy. A course in Modern Western Civilization took Conway on a tour of England, France and Germany. Travels offer three perspectives on Modem Western Civilization credit for OTHS student Cynthia Conway of Oakville got a three-for-one deal when she headed to Europe this summer. T hat's because the 17-year-old Grade 12 student at Oakville-Trafalgar High School, took advantage of a new MEI International Academy offering that took her to England, France and Germany. Conway was in Europe to study M odem Western Civilization -- and to pick up a high school credit while she was at it. That way Conway not only learned about the great moments of modem history, but was able to envision them from a trio of very different perspec tives -- from the very geographic location of the major world powers and key players: London, England; Paris, France; and, Munich, Germany. Her agenda was full. "I found the course was really relat ed to the places I was visiting," said Conway. The trip hegan in London, England where Conway took in famed sights like Westminster Abbey, Soho and Trafalgar Squares, and L ondon's Globe Theatre. Some stops were tourist-related others course-related; like the begin ning o f her studies at B ritain's Imperial War M useum in Britain. "That was one side of things," said Conway, noting, that upon visiting Dachau, Germany, "I saw the German side of things. There was a big differ ence." Gutenberg while in Munich there was time to explore the Dachau Concentration Camp, Bavarian Alps, Berchtesgaden and H itler's famed Eagle's Nest as well as the Bavarian National Museum. "Dachau was a bit overwhelming, and yes, depressing. It was incredible to be in a place where there had been so much suffering," mused Conway. With the usual $5,000 tab for the MEI summer program to be managed, Conway said her parents paid $4,000 while she raised the remaining $1,000, and nearly $1,000 for spending money -- not bad for a student who works at a local coffee house. Would she do it again? "Definitely," she enthused however now her sights are set on saving m oney toward university. Conway hopes to study liberal arts at the University of British Columbia in a year's time. The trip was great experience, said Conway who noted it fostered inde pendence that she'll need at university -- and something she hadn't really gleaned from traveling with her fami ly(S e e `S tu d e n t. . p age B2) For stories about three other students who studied abroad with the MEI International Academy, see pages B2 and B5 From England, Conway hopped the Eurostar to Paris where she and fellow students saw La Cathedrale NotreDame, La M usee du Louvre, Le Chateau de Versailles, Les ChampsElysees, L'Ar& de Triom phe, La Bastille, even the Latin Quarter. Perhaps one of her favourite stops of the entire adventure was in France at the Musee d 'Orsay. "I just loved all the paintings there," she said, noting, however, London was her favourite city. The trip wrapped up in Germany. Students stopped in Strausbourg to visit the European Council and Place The Body Shaping Fitness Studio ForWomen. 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