Cross-cultural understanding is one of the main attributes of a good leader. Although agriculture depends on foreign exports for much of its market, young agriculturalists are often unprepared to accept and understand the cultural differences in the world and how it affects the marketing of agricultural goods and services. World Link has a program to match U.S. schools with schools overseas that have a similar interest. By exchanging ideas over the Internet and by physical exchange trips, teachers and students bring international into their classroom and will be introduced to the need to understand our market partners and develop leadership traits of cross-cultural understanding and tolerance.

Here are links to current school partnership projects:

1. School Partnership between Gavazi, Republic of Georgia and Esparto High School in Esparto, California.
2. School Partnership between Marechal College in Rodrigues, Mauritius, and Don Lugo High School in Chino, California.
3. School Partnerships between agricultural schools in the USA and sister schools in Eurasia.

If you are interested in establishing a school partnership program for your classroom or school, contact us at exchange@worldlinkinc.org.

School Partnership between Gavazi Secondary School in Republic of Georgia and Esparto High School in California.

This school partnership, established in 2002 with funding from Youth Division of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and the Freedom Support Act (FSA).

The primary objective of the project is to improve the agricultural economy for new private farmers in the Gavazi area. Most of the farmers of region have small plots of land dedicated to grapes. This project helped to develop and train a team of student scouts to monitor the fields for the development of disease and insect infestations and make recommendations using Integrated Pest Management techniques. Secondary objectives include the development of new markets for Gavazi’s agricultural production.

This partnership was featured in the National FFA Magazine. Click here to read the article.

(Coming soon.) Read the first year summary report of the activities and outcomes of this project.

School Partnership between Marechal College in Rodrigues, Mauritius and Don Lugo High School in Chino, California.

This school partnership is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agriculture Service with funding from the Educational Development Initiative in the U.S. Agency for International Development. Mauritius is an island located in the Indian Ocean to the East of Madagascar.

Objectives of this project include the development of an agricultural youth organization at the school with activities that will benefit the Island of Rodrigues.

(Coming soon.) Read the first year summary report on this partnership.