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Boarding School in Jordan Offers Arab-American Students a Year of Intensive Arabic and Mideast Cultural Immersion
Since opening its doors in 2007, King’s Academy has earned a reputation for becoming one of the leading educational institutions in the Middle East. Inspired by the vision of His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan, the school provides more than just a first-class education to high-school age students from the region and beyond; it offers a truly holistic experience encompassing intercultural exchange, innovative learning and service to others.
Modeled on the renowned American boarding school, Deerfield Academy, from which King Abdullah II graduated in 1980, King’s Academy has cultivated an identity of its own by fusing the best traditions of New England boarding schools with the rich Middle Eastern culture reflected in Jordan’s deep-rooted history.
And now, in addition to its regular four-year high school experience, the school is offering another innovative program, Arabic Year at King’s Academy (AY), which offers American high school students one year of intensive Arabic language study, Middle Eastern cultural immersion and experiential learning.
AY allows students in grades 10 through 12 (in addition to gap year students) to gain fluency in Arabic, soak in the history and culture of the Middle East and “learn by doing” through off-campus educational excursions in Jordan and the region.
“American students are increasingly interested in the Arabic language and the Middle East,” said Director of Admissions Joe Silvestri. “AY is unique because it offers language and cultural immersion in a secure boarding school setting, while allowing students to stay on track with their home school academic requirements.”
“We have seen great interest from Arab-American families, who want their children to improve their Arabic skills and re-connect to their cultural heritage,” he added.
In a nurturing and safe environment spread across 575 dunums (144 acres), the student body – representing 27 nationalities from diverse socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds – receives a challenging American-based education taught by an equally eclectic and dedicated faculty. Yet what happens outside of the classroom – in the intimate residential setting that serves as a home away from home for many – is what sets King’s apart from other schools in the region.
Available year-round are myriad leadership opportunities ranging from participation in regional and international conferences, to service missions across the globe.
“To be a student at King’s Academy is to live in a community – to be trusted with real responsibility, to have real reciprocal obligations to other people, to be responsible to others,” says Headmaster John Austin.
The school is also no stranger to setting record firsts. In addition to earning full international accreditation status in just five years, King’s became the first Arab school to gain full membership in Round Square, a global organization of over 80 schools that share “a strong commitment, beyond academic excellence, to personal development and responsibility.” It is also the only non-American founding member of the Global Online Academy (GOA), an initiative “to promote global awareness and develop 21st century learning skills,” and has been recognized for its “culture of innovation” by the Microsoft Innovative Schools group.
King’s Academy takes pride in preparing its graduates – many of whom are currently studying at some of the world’s best colleges and universities – for life beyond high school through the values embodied in its five guiding principles (respect, love of learning, responsibility, an integrated life and global citizenship) and through the collective effort of a self-governing community that promotes tolerance, empathy and harmony.
King’s Academy will have a booth at the upcoming ADC Convention in Washington, D.C. For more information about the school, see www.kingsacademy.edu.jo. For more information about Arabic Year at King’s Academy, see www.arabicyear.org.