UN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL TO HOLD GRADUATION CEREMONY IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY HALL 30 MAY

Note to Correspondents

UN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL TO HOLD GRADUATION CEREMONY

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY HALL 30 MAY

The graduation of the United Nations International School (UNIS) Class of 2003 will take place at 3 p.m. on Friday, 30 May, in the General Assembly Hall.  Randolph M. McLaughlin, a prominent civil rights attorney, Professor of Law and Director of the Social Justice Center at Pace University School of Law will offer the commencement address.  Mr. McLaughlin is also a UNIS parent and member of the school’s Board of Trustees.

This year’s 101 graduates represent 44 nationalities and speak 32 languages.  They will leave UNIS for over 70 of the world’s finest universities in 12 countries and 20 American states, equipped with the best secondary-level preparation the world has to offer, the prestigious International Baccalaureate programme.  At UNIS, students have had the privilege of daily exposure to all of the world’s cultures through social interaction with peers, and instruction from a faculty representing 61 countries.  As a result, they have developed values and understanding that will prepare them to become truly citizens of the world.

The UNIS was founded in 1947 by a group of United Nations parents to provide an education that fostered global awareness for their children.  From a modest start as a nursery school for 20 children, the School has grown to a K-12 college preparatory school on two campuses enrolling over 1,500 students from 110 countries.  The school offers classes in nine languages and a balanced and rigorous educational curriculum that enables students to meet the entry requirements of universities worldwide.  Continued emphasis is also placed on community service and the value of the arts in daily living.  The UNIS serves a wide range of families in the New York metropolitan area, including many who are affiliated with the United Nations and the city’s international community, as well as local residents.

In this graduating class, 88 per cent of the students come from an international background, and 19 per cent of them have attended the school since kindergarten.

For further information, please contact Marjorie Nieuwenhuis, Director of College Counseling, UNIS, at tel.: (212) 584-3115, or e-mail: mnieuwenhuis@unis.org.

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