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Middle School

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At the heart of our mission is a commitment to create prepared, confident citizens of the world. The Isdell Center for Global Leadership (ICGL) spearheads this educational endeavor by providing students from Pre-First through 12th grade with wide-ranging curricular and co-curricular opportunities to explore, understand and engage in our globalized world.

In addition to approximately 17 annual global study tours available to students in all three divisions, every student explores an annual global theme—Climate, Conservation, Energy, Waste, Health, Education, Technology, etc.—through multiple disciplinary lenses: Science & Technology, Arts & Culture, Service & Sustainability, Business & Social Entrepreneurship and Public Policy & International Relations. This theme-based approach gives students the opportunity to tackle real-world issues while developing global-mindedness, cultural competence, international expertise and leadership skills—all essential components of global citizenship. Our students graduate with the ability to address national and international issues critically, as well as with a sense of visionary purpose to make a positive difference in our interdependent world.

Recent study tours have traveled to Australia, Brazil, China, the Dominican Republic, Iceland, Fiji, the Galapagos Islands, Colombia, Portugal, Ghana and Botswana, Greece, Patagonia, Morocco, Kenya, Costa Rica, South Africa, Japan, and various destinations throughout the United States. The Pace Parents Club’s Citizens of the World Travel Grant covers the cost of airfare once for every student in the Middle School, and once for every student in the Upper School. In a typical year, 200+ students travel on ICGL study tours.

AVENUES FOR GLOBAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL

  • Guest speakers and visiting scholars
  • Community Engagement projects and partnerships
  • International and domestic study tours
  • Middle School minimesters
  • Discovery classes and clubs that explore global issues and civic engagement
  • Co-curricular offerings such as debate, Model UN and policy simulation
  • Character Education: creativity, integrity, self motivation, resilience, teamwork and time management

Middle School Minimester Program

The Isdell Center for Global Leadership (ICGL) Middle School Minimester program supports Pace Academy's mission to create prepared, confident citizens of the world by taking students out of their familiar classroom environments and allowing them to learn about global issues in real-world settings.

The program's emphasis on immersive and experiential learning around socially relevant topics supports the growth and development of students' global competencies.

Middle School ICGL Student Council

Middle School ICGL Student Council members create thought-provoking and appealing ways to explore the ICGL’s annual theme and other global issues. The council meets every two weeks to offer input, insight and student perspectives about the ICGL and ICGL programming; organize student events; and brainstorm ways to engage the community around the theme.

Middle School ICGL Programming in Atlanta

Successful individuals know that true success means making a difference in others’ lives. We cultivate kindness in the Middle School through annual clothing and food drives, student-led fundraisers, volunteer opportunities and community partnerships. One example in the Middle School is bi-weekly tutoring events with La Amistad and Agape, where Middle School service leads organize their friends and we provide bus transportation to these after-school learning programs. Additionally, every spring, Pace's Middle School students and faculty team up to take part in our annual Canstruction competition, which explores the issue of food insecurity in Atlanta. The teams collect thousands of pounds of food and then put their creative juices to work by building elaborate themed structures out of cans, boxes and bags of food, all of which are donated to Meals on Wheels Atlanta. Finally, we conclude each school year in the Middle School with a Community Engagement Day, during which Middle School faculty and students spend a full school day visiting partner organizations to engage directly in their work.

Community Engagement Partners

Pace students connect with and support the work of the following local nonprofits through community-engagement clubs, site-based events, drives and on-campus engagement.

ENVIRONMENT
• Atlanta BeltLine Partnership
• Blue Heron Nature Preserve
• Trees Atlanta
• Wylde Center

ANIMALS
• Canine Assistants
• Furkids
• Lifeline Animal Project

HEALTHCARE
• American Red Cross
• Anioma Alliance
• Atlanta Ronald McDonald House
• Helping Mamas
• Make-A-Wish
• Miracle Knights
• Pace Against ALS

FOOD INSECURITY
• Atlanta Community Food Bank
• Compassion Kitchen
• Hope Atlanta
• Meals on Wheels
• Second Helpings Atlanta
• Urban Recipe

HOUSING
• The Ansley School
• Covenant House Georgia
• First Presbyterian Church
Community Ministries
• Habitat for Humanity
• Intown Collaborative Ministries
• Lost-n-Found Youth
• Zaban Paradies Center

EDUCATION
• At-Promise Youth Center
• Agape Community Center
• Books for Africa
• Easter Seals North Georgia
• Ellis Center
• La Amistad
• Inspiredu

OTHER
• Amnesty International
• Bloom Closet
• E-Nable Community
• Swim Across America
• The Giving Grace
• PawKids