Students and educators from around the world gather on the Circle for the first Groton Program for Intercultural Exchange

The first-ever G-PIE (Groton Program for Intercultural Exchange) conference kicked off on Sunday, July 9, with an opening reception, dinner, and keynote address by Groton Headmaster Temba Maqubela.

“As this is the inaugural G-PIE,” Mr. Maqubela told the assembled students and educators, “you are pioneers who will carry the study of this epoch of globalism on your broad shoulders.” 

The weeklong conference is designed to be an enriching and educational intercultural learning experience for high school students and educators from around the world. A variety of workshops, activities, cultural performances, and discussions—guided by the themes of culture, water, and artificial intelligence and technology—are scheduled. G-PIE is also a professional development opportunity for educators to engage in themes through a pedagogical lens. 

G-PIE is hosting a total of thirty-two students and eighteen teachers from WLSA Shanghai (China), the Welham Girls School (India), Kigali International School (Rwanda), Maru-a-Pula School (Botswana), Imagine Scholar Program (South Africa), Appleby College (Canada), Cheltenham College (England), Episcopal High School (Virginia), the Webb Schools (California), and our very own Groton School. Students will reside in Groton's dormitories under the supervision of young adults, while teachers will stay at the Groton Inn.

In designing the G-PIE experience, the organizing committee—led by Dean of Globalism and Experiential Learning Nishad Das and Groton’s new assistant director of globalism and experiential learning Mary Frances Bannard—collaborated with Duke University Professor Darla Deardorff, the architect of the UNESCO Story Circles methodology. This approach promotes sharing personal narratives and reflecting on others' cultural experiences and identities, fostering dialogue and understanding. 

Besides Mr. Maqubela, G-PIE speakers include Stephen Wolfram, creator of Wolfram Alpha; Rachelle Villalon, founder, CTO, and executive chairman of Hosta AI in Cambridge; and Manjula Salomon, who recently retired as associate head of school at Palmer Trinity School Miami. Mr. Wolfram and Ms. Villalon will enlighten attendees about artificial intelligence, accompanied by follow-up workshops. With her rich international background, Ms. Salomon will share her intercultural experiences.