It is often stated that a school should never be judged solely on its academic achievements.
That said, the performance of this year’s graduating high school class at the American School Foundation of Guadalajara reveals plenty about the scholastic standards this fabled institution continues to set as it enters the 109th year of its existence.
Nonetheless, the point about the purpose of an educational establishment is clearly reflected in the school’s mission statement, and is one that General Director David McGrath wants to make sure is not forgotten.
“It’s deeply important to the fabric of our school to look at what we do on a day-to-day basis, not only preparing individuals for future success but preparing them for future contribution to their communities,” he says.
Not that McGrath isn’t fiercely proud of the achievements of the Class of 2016.
“It’s been an outstanding year. We have very impressive college admissions.”
Not only have 92 out of 93 American School seniors been accepted into colleges in Mexico, the United States, Spain, Canada, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Italy and Australia, but financial offers to students are 61 percent up on last year – a whopping total of US$4.7 million dollars.
And in an unprecedented development, two students will share valedictorian honors for the first time.
“We have a very objective way to determine who the valedictorians are based on the straight average on the four years of study,” McGrath says. “But this year was particularly interesting because not only were two of the averages very close but both were dear friends.”
In a magnanimous gesture, the winning valedictorian approached high school administrators and asked whether his friend could share the honor this year.
“The pair had been so close and joyfully competitive over the years that we agreed,” McGrath says.
In another twist to the story, both Daniel Soberanes and Francis McCann will be continuing their studies in the same U.S. city (Cambridge, Massachusetts): one at lofty Harvard University and the other at the equally respected Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
While more than one-quarter of the graduating class will be packing suitcases in the fall to begin their college careers in foreign fields, staying in Mexico to continue one’s education should never be undervalued, McGrath insists.
“In no way is it second tier to studying in the U.S.,” he says. “Many choose a program here in Guadalajara that has a strong international component and, typically, many tend to go abroad for a masters degree.”
Wherever they end up in the world, the students will be fortunate to have experienced a model of education that places as strong an emphasis on community participation, collaboration and critical thinking, as the institution’s two other deeply held core values: bilingualism and biculturalism.
“We could run a factory of educational production and give every kid a tool for them to have financially successful careers but that’s not what we see as the role of a school,” McGrath says. “It’s to participate in the community, to prepare the future leaders, to make that community a better place to be.”
Underscoring this commitment, the Class of 2016 accumulated 14,592 service learning hours, with each senior averaging 157 hours of service.
It’s a process that can start in pre-kinder and kindergarten, as three- and four-year-olds take their first tentative steps in the school’s Early Childhood program.
“From a very young age, there’s a commitment to acting – not just knowing,” McGrath says. “It’s not just about calculating and figuring things out. It’s really saying, ‘And now what?’ … It’s not only good enough to know the right answer but to be able to do something with that in order to make a change.”
Pivotal for creating the bedrock that allows students to fulfill their potential is the institution’s commitment to the caliber of instruction and ensuring that teachers are flexible and “buy into” a lifelong learning process, the school director says. “Whatever influence we have on the child to become successful is largely down to the quality of the teachers in the classroom.”
Of the school’s 176 teachers (split half and half between native English speakers and Mexicans), 90 percent have a master’s degree or higher. And making sure classes are kept to a reasonable size is an important part of the equation, McGrath says.
“We may be a big school with 1,500 students, but each grade level is less than 100. Eighteen is the average class size and 24 would be big. Some students who come from other countries say I’ve never felt so cared for, or treated in such an individual way.”
The diversity of careers that American School graduates choose to follow also pleases McGrath. “We do a lot of work on career orientation. Our students are very well served at any end of the spectrum. I can’t think of a profession that we haven’t historically been able to prepare kids well to explore in college or university.”
In addition to well-known universities such as Rice, Purdue, Northeastern, Ohio State and Syracuse in the United States, and the Tec de Monterrey, ITESO and ITAM in Guadalajara and Mexico City, some of the 2016 graduates will be entering less mainstream territory, enrolling in courses, for example, at the Hotel School of Sydney and the London College of Fashion.
And how many of the school’s Mexican graduates will return to their home country once their studies abroad are concluded? The vast majority, confirms McGrath, perhaps with the exception of a few high-fliers looking for top jobs in the tech sector.
The American School Foundation of Guadalajara is located at Colomos 2100, Colonia Providencia. Call (33) 3648-0299 or visit www.asfg.mx for more information.