Enjoy this short video snippet about EF Academy from our 2024 Expo.
Transcript
EF Academy
ISTimes Global: (00:00) Hello, we are here with Emil and Reina from EF Academy. Welcome.
EF Academy-1: (00:04) Thank you.
EF Academy-2: (00:05) Thank you.
ISTimes Global: (00:06) Uh, we have uh gone around this um uh expo and we have seen your poster. It seems like a uh beautiful school. We would love to learn more uh more about it. Can you please uh tell us about your school?
EF Academy-1: (00:20) Yeah, so we have three unique schools uh located in Pasadena, New York and Oxford. So each school is completely different. In Pasadena, we’re we have a very progressive high school that’s focused on project-based learning uh as well as getting a US diploma. And in New York, we have uh an IB program as well as AP courses and a standard US diploma. And then Oxford is specifically for A levels. So 11th and 12th grade students.
ISTimes Global: (00:53) And you come here to uh Japan because you’re not because you have a school here, but because you’re a full boarding uh school as well.
EF Academy-1: (01:02) That’s right. Yeah, we have found that uh it’s very popular in Japan for families to send their children overseas. Uh and so what’s unique about EF Academy is that it is truly an international boarding school. So we have students from over 60 countries uh living on our campus and attending our schools.
ISTimes Global: (01:27) Now, boarding schools can sometimes be intimidating towards for Japanese families or any family. Um can you tell us a bit about the boarding school experience, um the culture within the school?
EF Academy-1: (01:42) Yeah. Do you want to Do you want to answer?
EF Academy-2: (01:45) Yes. Oh okay. Sure, sure, sure.
EF Academy-1: (01:47) So, um I think what’s unique about EF Academy because we have students from over 60 countries, they are really all in the same boat. So when students board at our school, we actually don’t allow them to board with students from their country. So Japanese students are not allowed to board with Japanese students. So we really want students to meet folks from other countries and practice using that English language. So it really encourages them to make connections uh cross-culturally, learn about different cultures, learn about different languages, learn where other students are from. Uh and that helps them not only in their social life, but also in the classroom because the dialogues become much more richer. You can hear about different experiences from around the globe, which we have found makes our classrooms really interesting. Um we also have our home office support. So Reina and Rio and Kanami, they are our Japanese team. So when parents are sending their students to us, um either in Pasadena, New York or Oxford, they are also having that local support. So any questions that families have, whether it be the parents or even the students, if they feel like they’re getting, you know, they feel more comfortable speaking to someone in Japanese about an issue, they can always reach out to one of our team here in Japan, um either over the phone or through text message. So we try to be uh as supportive as possible by providing that home office experience, but also we have a very um very strong support system and network for students on our actual campus.
ISTimes Global: (03:39) Oh, great. Thank you. And uh Reina, this might be a good question for you.
EF Academy-2: (03:43) Yes.
ISTimes Global: (03:43) Um so what are the families who and the kids from Japan who do come to uh the school? What is their experience like? What have you heard? Um and it uh sounds like you would be the one supporting them.
EF Academy-2: (03:59) Oh, uh yes. Um I’m sorry. Uh could you tell me uh could you repeat the Don’t don’t worry, we can cut and uh change things.
EF Academy-1: (04:11) So I think I think he’s just asking when parents come to talk to you, what what are they like? What are they interested in? And then what is their experience at the school? Am I getting it?
ISTimes Global: (04:23) And and also um like what do you hear back from them, right?
EF Academy-2: (04:28) Thank you.
ISTimes Global: (04:28) Because uh it uh uh it sound like you have some of the a lot of history with uh the school. So I would and it sounds like you probably have uh a lot of history with the Japanese families coming to the school. So I think that might particularly be uh of an interest to um our audience.
EF Academy-2: (04:45) Yes. Um uh nowadays uh there is a lot of international schools, but some of families uh really expect uh uh experience in uh overseas. And um we have a kind of perfect uh place to share the information which is uh it’s a part from uh a family, but always kind of uh communicate uh with the kids uh students and uh family um throwing us. So um it’s Oh my gosh.
EF Academy-1: (05:23) What’s That’s okay. What’s some of the feedback that you get from families? Like what do they say to you about their experience at EF Academy? When you’re communicating with families, what are they telling you about their experience? How do they feel about the school? How do they feel about the support?
EF Academy-2: (05:40) Okay. Um for example, um and uh when the families send uh to the uh US, um some of uh parents worry about the safety. Um but uh we are kind of explaining uh we we are uh uh explain how it’s safe uh about talking about our safe uh security systems uh which is uh very kind of we have a lot of cameras on the campus, a lot of uh um staff uh living in campus. So um we’re going to providing very, very safety um life um in the campus. Also, um so uh the families are and so and the students uh um return to um feedback to the parents which is uh uh this is very safe. They found it’s actually very safe.
ISTimes Global: (06:45) Oh, that’s great because that’s actually probably the top of their list when uh they think, oh my gosh, boarding schools overseas, America, right? Uh uh thank you so much.
EF Academy-2: (06:54) Thank you.
ISTimes Global: (06:54) Uh I uh was also um going to ask about uh what is the youngest age group that that can apply for your program?
EF Academy-2: (07:05) Uh start from 14.
ISTimes Global: (07:07) 14.
EF Academy-2: (07:07) Yes, 14 years old. Sometimes international school kid uh start from the 13 years old.
ISTimes Global: (07:14) So so around eighth, end of eighth grade, end of ninth grade here.
EF Academy-2: (07:19) Uh and yes.
ISTimes Global: (07:21) Okay. And is there any particular kind of students you uh look for when is it um are you looking for the highest grades? Are you just looking for people that are, oh, want these new experiences and want to broaden their minds? Are you looking for more sports and artistic students? Um or are you just looking for just a mix?
EF Academy-2: (07:46) Um yeah, we could say mix. Um but uh we uh looking for uh student who is really, really interested in their what they want to do. Um so, uh sometimes art, sometimes sport. Um but uh if you want to uh success in the future with what you what you want to be, um we can um uh definitely support uh the students. So, for example, the uh student wants to be uh violinist, uh she became uh she went to the kind of Berkeley uh music uh university. So, yeah, even art artist part.
EF Academy-1: (08:37) Oh, that’s great.
ISTimes Global: (08:38) So you’ve had many generations or uh many years of graduates uh over time. Uh what what what would you say is something that you feel like the kids take away from graduating from your uh high school? Like uh the kind of uh long-lasting impression that your uh school has uh left them.
EF Academy-1: (09:00) I in my opinion, I think students walk away with truly feeling like a global learner. So, um one of uh one of our foundational courses at our New York campus is called TOK, which is Theory of Knowledge. And so students really learn about how to learn in that course. And that’s something that I think carries with them well after they leave EF Academy. So not only have they had this really global experience at an international campus, but they’ve also learned about their own process of learning. So that when they go on to university, wherever that may be, whether it’s in the United States, Canada, uh Europe or back in Japan, um they feel very confident with who they are as a learner and how they themselves uh are able to learn new material. So they walk away with confidence, they walk away with this global perspective and they are walking away with knowing themselves much more.
ISTimes Global: (10:13) Okay. Thank you. That was EF Academy. Thank you. Thank you so much.
EF Academy-1: (10:16) Thank you.
EF Academy-2: (10:17) Thank you.
ISTimes Global: (10:18) I appreciate it. Thank you so much.
EF Academy-1: (10:19) Thank you.
About EF Academy
- International boarding school with campuses in Oxford, New York, and Pasadena
- Offers IB Diploma Programme, A-Levels, and US High School Diploma
- For students aged 13-19 from over 60 countries
- Focus on a global perspective and university preparation
- Strong emphasis on cross-cultural living and learning
- Dedicated Japanese support team for families
- Comprehensive campus safety and security measures
- Part of the EF Education First global education network
