At Silicon Valley International School (INTL), students like Rox, a 12th-Grader, thrive in a unique educational environment that combines the International Baccalaureate (IB) continuum with the French curriculum. Rox’s journey exemplifies how INTL’s bilingual and bicultural approach prepares students for both academic success and engaged global citizenship.
A Synergy: French Curriculum Paired with the International Baccalaureate (IB)
INTL’s program offers a robust academic foundation through the synergy of the French curriculum and IB framework, fostering rigor, excellence, and in-depth student engagement. This complementary approach emphasizes complex problem-solving and analytical skills across subjects, especially in STEM. The dual-language immersion program strengthens connections between English and French, allowing students to engage deeply in both languages and develop a global perspective. Concepts and content in the curriculum reinforce one another, cultivating students’ adaptability and mental agility, as well as their ability to approach challenges from multiple angles.
Service Learning: Building Character and Life Skills
Through Service as Action, Rox has gained valuable life skills while volunteering in her younger brother’s class, developing responsibility and empathy. “It’s helped me mature and learn life skills beyond academics,” she reflected.
Service trips have also been transformative. In 9th Grade, Rox traveled to Costa Rica, where she worked on an organic coffee farm to promote sustainable practices, like planting banana trees. In 10th Grade, a trip to Guatemala involved supporting a local school through painting and renovations, deepening Rox’s understanding of community service on an international scale.
Aiming High: Preparation for Higher Education
Through Rox’s IB Diploma Program (DP) French Géographie class, she developed a keen interest in international relations and politics, which led her to attend a summer program at Sciences Politiques in Reims, France. There, she joined an international cohort to study issues such as climate change, nuclear arms, and European democracy. The program concluded with a group discussion on how the fall of the Ottoman Empire shaped modern Turkey—an experience that broadened Rox’s worldview and strengthened her public speaking skills. Representing INTL, Rox also participated in debates and conferences at Yale and Stanford, which gave her further insights into complex global issues.
A Global Future Ahead
As Rox considers future studies in international relations or politics, INTL’s rigorous academic preparation and cross-cultural learning have provided a strong foundation. Her participation in Model United Nations has sparked a passion for debate on topics like environmental policy and disability rights. Though unsure whether to attend university in the U.S. or France, Rox feels ready to embark on a meaningful path as a global leader.