Ellen A. Parmelee, MA

Director, School of the Nations, New Amsterdam, Guyana, South America    

"In Guyana I am working on developing rurally based schools. My experiences teaching adults ESL (English as a Second Language) and developmental writing in the United States will be useful as I venture into this field of education and in a country and culture already familiar to me. I'm pleased to help with www.whatiwishyouknew.com by encouraging young people in Guyana to add their own perspectives and opinions to the topics presented. I am sure that the diversity of the population there will add new perspectives.

"The School of the Nations has a curriculum designed to encourage students to develop their unique academic capacities in a learning environment that also helps to nurture spiritual qualities and virtues.   School of Nations is well established in the capital city of Georgetown and is now spreading out to this farther area so that more of the population can benefit from individual attention and quality education."  

The School of the Nations, Escola das Nações, is a bilingual (English- Portuguese) international school for students from all nations and backgrounds, whose core values are based on the moral and ethical principles of the Bahá'í Faith. Its aim is for students to develop the qualities and understanding to become world citizens. Its program supports students to develop virtues, excellence in their work, and a spirit of love and service towards mankind.

The school was founded in 1980 by two North American families of educators who envisioned building a school around a new model of international education.   The basis of this model was the principal of 'unity in diversity"; to create an environment in which students from different races, nationalities, cultures and religions could learn to live in peace and harmony, while developing their intellectual, physical and spiritual potentials to the highest degree.

This educational dream is today a reality, with approximately 610 students enrolled on the School of Nation's two campuses: one for the Early Childhood program for students from ages 3 to 6 and the other for Elementary, Middle and High School. Our school community is made up of Brazilian families, many of whom are part of diplomatic corps, as well as international families, (representing approximately 40 different countries), who are connected with various embassies, multi-national companies or non-governmental organizations such as UNICEF, the World Bank and the United Nations. There are 90 teachers on the staff including assistants.

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