Starting from 2013, the Wisconsin Public School District and the University of Wisconsin have been leading ASDEA in promoting Sino-US education exchange activities in Asia. The other sister states have been following Wisconsin's lead and working towards greater exchanges and development in the Asia-Pacific region. Currently, the cultural exchange activities between schools under ASDEA and their Asian counterparts have reached a high level of maturity.
For a long time, Wisconsin has been recognized for its exceptional education resources and strength in education. WSDA, which is supported by the Wisconsin State Government and led by the Wisconsin University system, specializes in developing international education exchange activities. It is made up of three top school districts:
The School District of Janesville is located in southern Wisconsin's Rocky County, approximately 40 kilometers from Madison, the state capital. Janesville is conveniently connected to other parts of the world with easily accessible transportation options, including being just an hour's drive from Chicago. This district is comprised of two high schools (Craig High School and Parker High School), three middle schools, 12 elementary schools, and 15 community partnerships (for 4-year-old school-age children). In 2018-19, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction selected four Janesville schools as Title I "Schools of Recognition," including Jackson and Roosevelt elementary schools and Franklin Middle School, which were among the 114 schools across the state to receive the designation. Furthermore, according to the latest rankings from US News in 2020, Craig Middle School and Parker High School are two of the top high schools in Janesville.
The Wauwatosa School District is a public school district that serves the community comprehensively. It has a total of two high schools, two middle schools, and eleven elementary schools. The district has an impressive 96.5% college enrollment rate, and a large number of high school students are enrolled in AP® courses, which earn them college credits. The students have been successful in college-level coursework. According to the U.S. News ratings website, Wauwatosa West High School was ranked as the 27th best college preparatory public high school out of 440 schools in Wisconsin in 2020. The district's educational advantage is evident from various statistics.
The Marshfield School District is situated in central Wisconsin's Marshfield City, at the intersection of national highways U.S. Highway 10, 13, and 97. With a population of around 20,000, Marshfield is renowned for the Marshfield Clinic, a vast healthcare system that serves a significant portion of central, northern, and western Wisconsin. Forbes magazine rated Marshfield as the 5th "Best Small Cities to Raise a Family" in the US in 2010 due to its pleasant residential environment. The district's elementary and middle schools are of excellent quality. For example, Marshfield High School's 2016-17 school year combined math and reading proficiency testing data ranked it among the top 30% of all 2,029 schools in Wisconsin.
Michigan is a state situated in the Great Lakes region and is considered one of the most promising states in terms of education. The University of Michigan, which is among the top 10 universities in the United States, is located in this state.
Harbour Springs Public School Board, located in Michigan, is considered one of the top school districts in the state. district includes two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. In 2014, it was recognized by the Center for Michigan Bridge Magazine for the Academic State Champ Award.
The Rochester Public School District manages a total of 20 schools, which include 13 elementary schools, four middle schools, and three high schools. Rochester High School, Stonylick High School, and Adams High School are recognized as excellent public high schools with leading teaching standards in Michigan and the United States. These schools were awarded the College Success Award in 2018.
Pennsylvania, the second-largest state in the United States for education, boasts numerous top universities, including the Ivy League institution, the University of Pennsylvania.
Harbour Springs Public School Board, located in Michigan, is considered one of the top school districts in the state. district includes two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. In 2014, it was recognized by the Center for Michigan Bridge Magazine for the Academic State Champ Award.
Texas is a state with great cultural characteristics with rich educational resources, including the University of Texas at Austin (No. 48)[10], Rice University (No. 14), Southern Methodist University (No. 59), and Texas A&M University (No. 69).
The Venus Independent School District runs an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school, offering excellent educational services that have gained recognition from the local community and the wider American education community.
The Arlington Independent School District manages xx elementary schools, 10 middle schools, and 10 high schools, and was granted an ‘Academically Acceptable’ rating by the Texas education authority in 2017.
The Mansfield City Public School Board operates 23 elementary schools, six middle schools, and six high schools.
Connecticut, one of the wealthiest states in the country, is home to Ivy League research university, Yale University, which educated five American Presidents.
The district manages a total of five schools, consisting of three elementary schools (one located in Lyme), Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School, and Lyme-Old Lyme High School. The Lyme-Old Lyme High School girls' soccer team has been widely recognized for its successful streak of state championships and conference titles in recent years. With a college enrollment rate of 92 percent and top two advanced placement scores in Connecticut, the school district's education is highly regarded.
Under the guidance of Indian teachers as chaperones, students take part in the American Class Immersion program and engage in cultural exchange activities with students from a sister school in the United States for a period of 12 days. This program provides students with the opportunity to immerse themselves in American school life and participate in classroom activities alongside American students, under the supervision of teachers from the sister school. In addition, students experience American family life by staying with host families during evenings and weekends.
The Indian Class Immersion program facilitates an exchange of students between Sharda World School and one of the American school who are under the umbrella of ASDEA. Before the start of the program, both teachers and students foster amicable and interactive relationships, which continue after the program's conclusion. Indian and American students are paired up and study together in the classroom, while also staying with host families during evenings and weekends to provide Indian students with a taste of the American family environment. Students participate in various extracurricular activities, such as sports, music, arts, and design, and also have opportunities to visit places of interest.
Ensuring student safety is of paramount importance for Sharda World School and the American school district. Therefore, for the entire trip, a chaperone assigned by Sharda World School will accompany the students, and all activities conducted by the students will be under the chaperone's supervision.
Grade: Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Time Period: By the end of September to mid-October, two weeks
Group Size: 22-24 students and 2 teachers
Procedure: The program consists of various components, including pre-departure selection and training, online meetings between teachers and students, travel to the US, and continued sister school relationship even after returning from the trip.
About ASDEA
The American School District Education Association (ASDEA) is a cooperative of 28 school districts from five states, namely Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Connecticut. The association is dedicated to promoting international educational exchanges and fostering cooperation between its member schools and schools outside of the United States.