Round Square Day
Every year we hold a tree-planting ceremony on campus.
Round Square
Resource
BCS has been affiliated with Round Square for over 35 years and every student is a member of the Round Square program.
Bishop’s College School believes in fostering international understanding, and is one of 200 schools belonging to Round Square. Round Square is an international program subscribing to the educational philosophy of Kurt Hahn and is based on 6 pillars known as IDEALS, an acronym for Internationalism, Democracy, Environment, Adventure, Leadership and Service. This association of like-minded schools work to promote dedication to service, internationalism, democracy, environmental conservation, and adventure.
The Round Square objective is to empower youth to become committed, responsible global citizens through active involvement. The program provides opportunities for students that go well beyond the classroom, such as: student exchanges, community service projects, junior/senior conferences (taking place either domestically or internationally), and gap year opportunities for students who have graduated. There are also many Round Square school activities and cultural events at BCS. This past year we had close to 30 students join the BCS RS Committee!
Through my Global Politics course, Round Square exchanges, and the wide range of nationalities within the school, BCS has taught me skills of open-mindedness and internationalism that will help me in whatever is next to come.
Grace Bilodeau, BCS’19
CONTACT
Shelley Gardner-Bray
Round Square Coordinator
819.566.0227 x213
email
Conferences
Students and teachers in Round Square schools have the chance to take part in age-appropriate local and global conferences that bring them together with peers from different countries to share perspectives, debate topical issues, forge friendships, support local communities, and develop international understanding. Each year there are lots of different conference opportunities on offer.
International Service Projects
Round Square International Service (RSIS) projects are another key division of the program. These projects are an exciting opportunity for BCS students to travel to countries such as Guatemala, Honduras, India, Kenya, South Africa, and Thailand to assist in a wide number of service activities, such as building water systems, constructing schools and working with children.
Service projects have been carefully evaluated by Round Square International to make them as safe as possible. The RSIS projects bring together students from all over the world to work as a truly international team and provide much-needed assistance to disadvantaged communities.
A touring component is usually included in all projects. These projects allow students to build leadership skills, develop a deeper understanding of other cultures and themselves, and garner a true perspective of what it means to be a global citizen.
Exchanges/Gap Year
As part of Round Square, Bishop's College School participates in the International Exchange program. Students at BCS are encouraged to participate in exchanges with any of the other international member schools and are eligible to experience learning abroad for four to eight weeks. Exchanges are organized for students in Form IV and can be to countries as exotic as South Africa, India or Peru. The International Exchange program provides students with an amazing opportunity to see the world, meet new friends and participate in an active form of education.
Round Square Committee at BCS
Although every student at BCS is a Round Square member, students can take it a step further by joining the committee. Every year, the Round Square Committee holds three International Food Bazaars that allow our community to try a variety of food from all over the world. They also organize our annual Round Square walk and tree-planting ceremony at the end of year.
International Food Bazaar
Three times per year, the Dining Hall transforms into a marketplace where our Round Square Committee members and our Dining Hall staff organize and share dishes that hail from the over 40 countries present at BCS. These delicacies from around the world are specially prepared by the Dining Hall staff with recipes provided by our students.
ROUND SQUARE WALK
Held at the end of school year to encourage our community to spend time appreciating the outdoors together.
Round Square TREE PLANTING CEREMONY
Every year the senior heads of house plant a maple tree around campus. This is done as a tribute to the graduating class, symbolizing community and environmental care. This tradition was started around 15 years ago, inspired by another tree planting ceremony at an international conference attended by a BCS delegate.