Myers Park High School

• The year of foundation: 1951
• Location: Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
• Total number of students: 2 863 people
• Symbol: Mustang
• School colorus: green, white, gray and black
• Director: Mark Bosco
• Type of education: mixed.

Myers Park High School was opened in 1951 and has been constantly upgraded, improved and expanded so far that has allowed it to become one of the best schools in the state. The prestigious independent source Newsweek Magazine has repeatedly praised its work:

• Steadily included in the list of the top 40 high schools in the country
• 2003 - ranked 7th in the top US high schools, 2007 - 27th place, 2008 - 33rd place, 2009 - 39th place.

According to The Ranking of America's High Schools, which evaluated 1950 similar institutions, Myers Park High School also ranked among the top representatives.

Myers Park High School participates in the Nacel Open Door F-1 Public School Program, an international program aimed at providing foreign students with opportunities to study in US government institutions in the High School program. The peculiarity of this course is the comprehensive, constant support of international students: the curators understand well that many children for the first time have left their country and for long, and strive to provide them with the most comfortable and convenient conditions. The Nacel program has been working successfully for over 10 years, hundreds of students have participated in it - only now about 500 students are involved in it, many of whom decided to repeat or extend the previous course. Such useful services are offered free of charge and on an ongoing basis:

• Regional director and local coordinator (responsible for the quality of the placement of the students, monitors the relevant conditions of studying and living, helps to solve administrative and everyday issues - the coordinator is assigned to each student personally)
• Social staff specially studied and qualified to work with foreign students
• 24-hour telephone helpline and support where a student can address any problem or question
• The travel coordinator (he is responsible for travel and transfer, arranges a meeting and seeing off, monitors the schedule of flights and their changes).

In high school students not only lay the foundation for basic, key knowledge in academic subjects, but also instill valuable social and personal qualities. Graduates should be ready for life in a multinational modern society, should respect another's point of view, with understanding to treat people of different nationalities, cultures, religions, freely communicate with each other. It is understanding and mutual respect that underlies successful cooperation and peace throughout the world. Students become more independent, tolerant, learn to take responsibility for their words and deeds, demonstrate maturity in their judgments, self-confidence and their own strength.

Public schools in America are very positive about student exchange, support these courses in every possible way and participate in them with pleasure: it helps to diversify the ethnic and cultural makeup of students, to make learning and pastime more interesting and comfortable, and to teach children communicating with each other.

Studying programs in US schools are selective: this requires pupils not only to have good academic performance, but also good behavior and knowledge of etiquette, involvement in extracurricular life, active participation in activities, groups and sections. In turn, employees and teachers are fully responsible for the health and safety of their wards.

The age of students is from 15 to 18 years, the minimum period of study is 1 academic year (from August to June). The institutions supporting this program are located in various American states: North Carolina, Maine, Vermont, California. They may have slightly different academic programs - a unified, strictly standard in this regard, no. As a rule, students are engaged on weekdays from 8:00 to 15:30. The school provides enough time for lunch - you can go to a local cafe or cafeteria, eat lunch brought from home.

Take into account the fact that American schools do not guarantee foreign students the transfer of educational loans received early, receiving a diploma and compulsory admission - all this depends on the perseverance and diligence of a particular student. There may also be a partial repetition of the educational course in the home school and the US institution - this is due to the difference in the curricula.

All host families in which Myers Park High School students live are constantly monitored and supervised by school staff, with most of the cooperation being conducted for many years. They are decent and calm people, receiving proper compensation for their careful and caring attitude towards foreign students (usually a payment higher on the east coast due to a higher standard of living). Both family members and students are constantly interviewed to monitor the level of comfort and security provided to the international students. Living in a family is an excellent opportunity to constantly communicate with native speakers, to learn more about the traditions and culture of Americans, their national characteristics. For long summer holidays, students return to their home country.

Subject list: biology, chemistry, computer techologies, exact sciences, humanitarian sciences, Information Technology, maths, physics
Activity list: baseball, diving, field hockey, football, gym, horseback riding, lacrosse, rugby, swimming, tennis

Classroom activities are not all that await foreign students at Myers Park High School. The institution necessarily organizes an interesting and diverse extra-curricular program: various excursions and walks, clubs, sports and creative sections, leisure and cognitive activities. Active participation is expected from all students: it will help to show their talents and reveal potential, to find new friends and like-minded people.

Traditionally, Americans pay great attention to sports, especially football (American and soccer) and basketball. Formed school teams, matches and games collect large stadiums, organize their support groups and fans, develop and sell special attributes with personal colours and symbols, team talismans. In total, Myers Park High School employs about 30 studios and clubs in various sports:

• Frisbee;
• Lacrosse;
• Field hockey;
• Athletics and etc. 

There are both male and female teams.

The debates club is very developed - it won in state competitions 8 out of 11 last years. The popular local newspaper Myers Park Hoofprint (in 2008, it was named the best example of student media by the American Scholastic Press Association), no less popular is the annual allowance for schoolchildren Myers Park Mustang and the literary and art magazine Pegasus, also repeatedly awarded with various awards and prizes. Myers Park High School students take an active part in Odyssey of the Mind competition, win national and world championships, showing outstanding success in creative thinking, resourcefulness and ingenuity.

The Myers Park High School campus is located in the picturesque Myers Park area and occupies a vast territory of 62 acres (about 250,000 square meters). There are 13 detached buildings, the Student Center, the Mathematical Center, linguistic laboratories and the social work and assistance center. Beautiful landscaped gardens and lawns are scattered on the territory - students especially like to relax here on fine days, eat lunch. The front entrance is decorated with two marble sculptures dedicated to the memory of September 11 - they symbolize the towers of the World Trade Center.

Tuition fee includes:

• Administrative fees;
• Host family accommodation (accommodation and meals, boarding house);
• Studying on the selected program;
• 2 collective recreational activities per year;
• Monthly full reports for parents, annual progress and activity report;
• Round-the-clock support and assistance;
• Medical insurance;
• English language course E-learning.

Some services are paid additionally to tuition fee:

• Registration fee (non-refundable);
• Teaching aids, books and materials;
• Additional physical education classes, electives;
• Activities and excursions;
• Classes in laboratories;
• Air tickets;
• Examination fees;
• Visa fees and services;
• School lunches;
• Transfer to school;
• Personal pocket expenses.

Before entering in Myers Park High School, each entrant is interviewed (available via Skype). The intenational student must meet the following requirements:

• 15 to 18 years;
• No higher education, received at home;
• A sufficient level of English and wishes to improve it;
• Sufficient financial support;
• Good and excellent academic knowledge.

The standard package of documents should contain as much as possible full information about the student, his academic successes, extra-curricular activities, mental and physical health. Usually you need a medical card indicating the vaccinations made, an introductory essay (written by the entrant himself on the topic "Why do I want to study at your school?"). It will also be useful to provide all the certificates, awards, medals, certificates, thank you letters - in short, everything that confirms achievements in the academic, sports or creative fields. In addition, Myers Park High School can organize entrance examinations or examinations in basic disciplines.

Admission dates vary - we recommend clarifying this issue in advance at the selected school. The application can be submitted after the official deadline, but it will be considered only if there are vacancies on the course.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision