The Rocky Mountain International Student Program (RMISP) is in full swing this week, with approximately 150 students arriving in Kimberley for international studies.
RMISP Coordinator, Randy McLeod says he has been running back and forth from the Cranbrook Airport all week, picking up students and bringing them to their temporary homes here in Kimberley.
“This is going to be a fantastic year,” said McLeod. “We’ve got athletes - five hockey players and two figure skaters - we have artists and all kinds of kids from Mexico to Spain and Italy etc. One of the students is even trying out for the Dynamiters team.”
On Friday morning RMISP is hosting orientation at McKim from 10a.m. to 4p.m. Before that, they are getting the chance to explore Kimberley.
Students from around the world will be studying in grades eight to 12 in Kimberley, Invermere, Golden, Revelstoke, Cranbrook, Fernie and Sparwood. The Rocky Mountain School District no. 6 runs the program from Kimberley under shared-services agreements with the Southeast Kootenay School District no. 5 and the Revelstoke School District no. 19.
International Education Manager for SD6, Duncan MacLeod, says participating international students attend regular classes alongside Canadian students.
“Some come to graduate but most are here for a shorter study-abroad experience (five or 10 months) focused on language improvement, cultural immersion and the Rocky Mountain lifestyle,” said MacLeod. “Over 200 students participate in the program each year. The students apply through partner schools and education agencies located around the world. More than 20 nationalities participate in the program over the course of a school year.”
RMISP also hosts the Annaka Program, where Kimberley welcomes approximately 20 students from Annaka, Japan for a one-week summer program from August 16 to 22.
The annual event involves ESL classes in the morning and activities in the afternoon. Highlights include an official welcome at City Hall, wall-climbing at Spirit Rock Climbing Centre, an Amazing Race game in the Platzl, Fort Steele, Wasa Lake, swimming at Fairmont, rafting the St. Mary’s River and the Cranbrook Pro Rodeo.
When the Annaka students visited City Hall last week they were greeted by City of Kimberley Councillor Albert Hoglund as well as MP for Kootenay-Columbia, Wayne Stetski.
“Four of the students [who visited City Hall] are here for a year, they are in their sixth month so they have six more to go,” said Hoglund. “They weren’t with the Annaka Program though, they were with a different organization so they sat in Council’s chairs.”
“Everyone was so polite,” Holgund said. “I don’t know if you could meet anyone more polite than those kids. They all stood up and spoke on different aspects of Annaka City. They all spoke English very well. They had a very busy agenda; going to school in the mornings and in the afternoons visiting the surrounding areas. It was great. They even invited Council to Annaka City.”