Education Foundation Partnership Hosts Global Issues Seminar

The Central New Jersey Education Foundation Partnership hosted a seminar for regional high-school students that included experts in the fields of international law, national security, and the implications of globalization.

Princeton, New Jersey - The Central New Jersey Education Foundation Partnership, a consortium of fifteen area foundations, joined on May 7th with the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs of Princeton University to provide area high school students an opportunity to explore the most pressing issues of the day. Almost two hundred area students and their teachers attended a full-day session in Princeton to hear leading experts address topics of national interest concerning security issues in a post-September 11 world and the globalization of world trade.

The Education Foundation Partnership, working with Princeton University, set up the one-day seminar and was pleased that nine of its member foundations were able to send students. East Windsor, Ewing, Hamilton, Hopewell Valley, Lawrence, Princeton, South Hunterdon, Trenton and West Windsor-Plainsboro were represented.

Steve Barnes, Assistant Dean for External Affairs of the Woodrow Wilson School met with representatives of the education foundations in March to work out the details of the event. Background videos and study guides were made available to the teachers and students by MacNeil/Lehrer Productions. The education foundations made it possible for their students to attend by providing logistical support such as transportation.

Princeton University drew presenters from among their experts in the fields of world affairs. William Burke-White, a lecturer at the Woodrow Wilson School and expert in international law, gave a presentation on national security. Miguel Centeno, director of Princeton University's global research institute, helped students to understand the implications of globalization.

The forum was very well-received by students and teachers. Bill Tucker, AP Government teacher at Lawrence High School said, "All of my students had positive remarks regarding the facility, the lunch, and especially the speakers. Not only were the speakers well-versed, but they gave age-appropriate presentations." Students from Hopewell Valley were also impressed. Their teacher Jack Wolff reported that they were "clearly able to see the relevance in their own lives."

The Central New Jersey Education Foundation Partnership is an association of area education foundations that meets twice a year to provide information sessions and networking opportunities for members of the partnership. With the support of Educational Testing Service, the group has worked to strengthen education foundations that are committed to bringing private and corporate support to public schools throughout central New Jersey. For more information, email info@ltefnj.org.