Contact: Jenni Brockman
Telephone: 804-443-3357 (w)
Fax: 804-443-6781
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Shannon Davis and Heather Porter Selected for Australian Exchange Program.
St. Margaret's School sophomores Heather Porter and Shannon Davis have been selected to represent their school abroad for a trimester of study in Australia.
The international exchange program, coordinated between St. Margaret's School, Berwick, Victoria, Australia, and St. Margaret's School, Tappahannock, began last year as two SMS, Australia students spent a trimester studying in Tappahannock, followed by two SMS, Tappahannock students traveling to Berwick, Australia for a trimester of study. SMS, Australia sophomores Hilary Duffy and Adrienne Richards arrived in Tapphannock last January and spent three months studying at St. Margaret's School. Duffy, a day student, lived with then tenth grade class president Britt Faulkner at her home in White Stone. Richards, a boarding student, shared a Latane Hall dormitory room with sophomore Carol Combs, of Statesboro, GA. In March, Combs and Faulkner accompanied Duffy and Richards back to Australia, where all four girls resumed their studies at St. Margaret's School, Berwick.
On January 3, St. Margaret's, Berwick sophomores Gemma Stephenson and Brittanie Erwin will arrive for the second trimester of study at St. Margaret's School, Tappahannock, in similar fashion to Duffy and Richards last year. Likewise, Heather Porter, of Walkerton, and Shannon Davis, of Tapphannock, will accompany Stephenson and Erwin back to Australia in April to complete the third trimester.
"I enjoy drama, art, and science," says Stephenson. "I love seeing movies and listening to bands like Fuel, Pearl Jam, Ben Folds Five, and Nirvana." Erwin, who also enjoys drama, admits she likes watching the popular American television shows Dawson's Creek and Friends.
Girls participating in the exchange program had to demonstrate sound academic achievement coupled with the desire to represent their respective schools abroad. "It is an honor to announce the selection of these great candidates for our exchange problem with St. Margaret's, Berwick in Australia. I know Heather and Shannon each will make fine representatives of St. Margaret's School. I hope they each take full advantage of this opportunity to learn about a new school and culture," said SMS headmistress Margaret Broad. The tenth grade was selected as the preferred year for a study abroad program since it occurs prior to the commencement of the more focused college preparatory cycle the students face during their junior and senior years, Broad notes.
"Heather and Shannon have never been afraid to get a little excited about things, but I have never seen them quite like this before…their mouths are running a mile a minute," said Shannon's mother, Brenda, who works in admissions at St. Margaret's. "But I know their time in Australia will be an eye-opening and worthwhile experience. I am so happy for them."
In 1998, St. Margaret's School, Tappahannock, completed a previous exchange with St. Margaret's School, Bushey, England. Heather Porter's older sister, Ashley, currently a sophomore at Cornell University, spent her senior year (high school) studying abroad in England.
The philosophy behind the cooperative international exchange program is to broaden the opportunities available to students at both schools. The educational exchange will provide the girls with increased global awareness and understanding that will lead them to greater achievement in the future.
"We can't wait to go to Australia this spring," beam Heather and Shannon. "Britt [Faulkner] and Carol [Combs] had such a wonderful experience last year that we know it's going to be a great experience for us too. We've already sent e-mail to Hilary [Duffy] and Adrienne [Richards] and they're excited that we're coming over so it's going to be awesome!"
Shannon is the daughter of Brenda and Temple Davis of Tappahannock; Heather is the daughter of John and Ann Porter of Walkerton.