Programs

GATEway

    • Explore your world!

    • Welcome to GATEway!

GATEway Beginnings
by Glen Turf, GATEway Founder

The fall of my junior year, I was fortunate to live in Madrid, Spain with my study group from Colgate University. I grew up near New York City, but I was always raised to fear "The Big Apple". While at Colgate, I lived in the shelter of a small town with one stop light in central New York state. When I arrived in Madrid with only the address of my host family’s house, I was forced to do things I had never done before –  like use Spanish in a native-speaking environment, hail a cab, use an apartment intercom system, and figure out how to plug my Walkman charger in an outlet that did not look like the ones back home. And that was day one! When I think about what we can do for our students now to prepare them to be global citizens in the future, I am rooted in my own experiences of being a fish out of water.

In the fall of 2013, the mission of GATEway was born – a program designed to develop our students’ views of the world, its diverse cultures, and its people. The GATEway recipe has been tried and true – a base of GATEway sites in Madrid, Nice, Geneva, and Milan, with a sprinkle of GATEway Jr. in Québec,Panamá, and Puerto Rico mixed in with a little GATEway Mini right here in Miami, seasoned with visiting students from abroad, and a dash of future programs in Honduras, Asia, and Philadelphia. The world is literally at our fingertips. Won’t you come along for the ride?
Why GATEway?

“I am often asked why I did not choose to study abroad for a semester during my college career. My response is always the same—the GATEway ¡Madrid! program provided me with the unique opportunity to explore the world with my best friend as a high school student. I keep with me the fond memories I made and the lessons I learned that prepared me for college at Syracuse University!” Jackie Lash ’15 (GATEway ¡Madrid! ’14)

"GATEway will change the way your child sees the world. They leave as a teen and come back as a young adult!  Better than a vacation – it is a unique learning experience. They will not only learn about a new culture but will be propelled into the adult world of managing money, keeping their clothes clean, navigating new cities while having faculty as a safety net who know how to keep that perfect balance of enabling students to assume their independence while still creating the eagerness and wonder of exploring new experiences. You gain academic credit, a great experience to highlight on college applications and amazing exposure to a different country while meeting new friends – what more can you ask for in one month!" Kay Lombardo (GATEway Parent)

GATEway Experiences

Experiential GATEway Education
GATEway was always envisioned to be first and foremost an academic program – just look at its name: Global Access To Education. What sets GATEway apart from other travel programs is that it is a program designed by educators, executed by educators, for the benefit of students. During my nine years as Upper School Director, one of my priorities was to envision the different ways to educate and prepare our students to be lifelong learners through hands-on and experiential education. We have achieved that with GATEway. As a homegrown program, we are able to offer students the opportunity to earn academic credit in the Upper School for their time abroad. Students can also use their experiences abroad to work toward earning a Global Studies Endorsement on their Miami Country Day School diploma at graduation. We would never leave our younger GATEmates out! Our GATEway Jr. students participate in cultural seminars during their time abroad, while our Mini GATEmates participate in educational and cultural activities right here in Miami which give them an entrée into their travels in later years. As Miami Country Day School’s signature study abroad program, GATEway supports the mission of the school and helping the Whole Child to become a true global citizen. GATEway is education reimagined! 

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  • Glen Turf

    Director of Global Studies & International Programs

    As the founder of Miami Country Day School’s GATEway program, I am continually energized, both professionally and personally, by the excitement I see on our students’ faces when they make the connections between what they have learned in class and what they find in authentic learning environments. Having coordinated and led numerous student experiences both abroad and at home, it has been my pleasure to bring new cultures to our students.Since arriving at Country Day in 2001, I have served as the Upper School Director, the World Languages Department Chair, and am thrilled to now serve as the Director of Global Studies & International Programs.. When people ask if I have kids, I am happy to say, “Not my own, but I have the pleasure of working with more than a thousand of them every day!!

    Contact Director of Global Studies & International Programs at GATEway@miamicountryday.org or at 305-779-7243 for more information and payment plan options.
Miami Country Day School is a college preparatory learning community committed to educating the whole child. Through the core values of honor, respect, wisdom and compassion, we prepare students to be lifelong learners. We inspire our children to develop their intellectual, physical, aesthetic, social, emotional and spiritual potentials by valuing every student every day.
 

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