Laurelhurst Passport Club

Passport Club
About the Program
	The Passport Club, a nonprofit organization, is an individualized, sequential, geography program for schools. Its main purpose is to help students learn some, or all of the world's countries over the course of a school year, and to meet essential academic learning requirements for geography. It also promotes strong parent involvement in the school. Finally, the program introduces postage stamps as a valuable educational tool for teachers, and an interesting and enjoyable hobby for students. The Passport Club at Laurelhurst is in it's fifth year, and is solely run by parent volunteers. Last year the Passport Club raised enough funds at the 2nd Annual Passport Club International Night to fully support the Passport Club's regular activities in addition to sponsoring the following other events: United Nations Day Celebration, Laurelhurst's participation in The National Geographic Bee and The Culture Box program, where Passport Club coordinates with The World Affairs Council or Oregon's Educational Program, to rent "Culture Boxes", containing artifacts and educational materials from different countries/cultures for use by teachers in classrooms, on display at Passport Check-Days, and occassionally on display in the Laurelhurst display case. This program is setting an atmosphere in our school of a generation of young people who are interested not only in our community but in the rest of the world. Most importantly, it is your support at home that makes this program work. Thank you all for working with your students to insure their success in learning!!!
Volunteers needed!
	(Two hours, once each month) New volunteers are always welcome! Time commitment: 2 hours (9-11am) on the 4th Friday of the month. You can be a "regular" and come every month, or just come when your schedule allows. Please contact Stevie Saleem to volunteer, or to answer any questions: steviesalee m@excite.com
Are we the only ones doing this?
	As of 2005 there are approximately one hundred and ten schools around the country and overseas who have adopted The Passport club. The states include Washington, Oregon, California, Minnesota, Idaho, Nebraska, Arizona, New York, Maine and New Hampshire. From our own program here at West Union two other schools have taken on the program, North Plains and Gales Creek
Benefits of Passport Club
	Helps children visualize country locations that are headlined in the news. Helps children broaden interest in learning about other cultures, traditions, governments, etc. Helps children build a sense of familiarity with other countries and cultures, which encourages an attitude of understanding and acceptance of differences in people. Provides a strong foundation of knowledge of geographical locations that broadens their depth of understanding in Middle School and High School, where they will be studying World History, Current Events, etc. Provides the opportunity for a fun parent/child educational activity.
How does it Work?
	Each student is issued a passport at the start of the school year. They have five levels to choose from, beginning with the introductory Level One and going up to the “Goe-Whiz” Level Five. If they choose level one, students will learn 40 countries and seven continents by the end of the school year. If they choose Level Five they will learn all the world’s countries plus 40 capital cities. the continents, oceans, seas, deserts, and mountain ranges. Students are checked by parents at the end of each month and receive postage stamps in their passport fro some of the countries they have learned. They get a new study map with different countries for the next month and the process is repeated.
Explanation of Levels:
Level 1	This is an “introductory level”, for any student who wants to focus on five countries per month. We have for our Kindergarten students a level Zero, just to get them introduced to passport club.

Level 2	An “intermediate level”, but involving ten countries per month. Level Two teaches the location of eighty countries, plus the continents and the three great oceans. The students locate all countries in Levels one and two.

Level 3	This “advanced Intermediate Level” involves fifteen countries per month (except Sept. and Dec.), or 115 at year’s end. It is a good “compromise Level”, but will have some of the lesser known countries and island groupings. It also includes the continents, plus four oceans, two seas, the equator and the prime meridian. The students locate all countries in Levels one through three.

Level 4	At this very challenging “expert level”, the student will learn all the world’s countries by the year’s end. Twenty-five countries are learned each month, (Except Sept. and Dec.). In addition, they learn the continents, oceans, seas, bays, gulfs, Oceania, the equator and the prime meridian. The students locate all countries in Levels one through four.

Level 5	This is the highest level, for the true “Goe-whiz”. It is the level where they really start to explore what they have learned. The students locate all countries in Levels one through four, plus the corresponding capitals for all countries in Level one. The also learn deserts and mountain ranges.

Special Itinerary:	This is extra projects designed to encourage students in level four and five to keep learning more. These projects will vary from month to month, designed to keep the students interested in learning more about geography, beyond memorization of locations.

This site is intended for the students and parents of Laurelhurst School.

passport coordinator
contact: Aniko Fulep
mamsimon@yahoo.com

Passport Club

Explanation of Levels: