Immersive global education

The early 1960s were a time of great promise as the United States reached beyond its borders to connect with other countries. It was also the time when a visionary educator from Wilbraham Academy in Massachusetts, taking inspiration from bold initiatives such as the Peace Corps, saw an opportunity to create a new immersive learning experience. With support from Andover’s headmaster John Kemper, the Schoolboys Abroad program was launched in 1964.

Eleven curious and adventurous boys from nine U.S. high schools crossed the Atlantic Ocean by ship and spent a full academic year in Barcelona, Spain. It was certainly a risk; the boys lived with host families and took classes in a city that was under the iron grip of Spanish general and dictator Francisco Franco.

“Imagine today’s parents sending their child to live in a country ruled by an authoritarian government—with no cell phone and only basic knowledge of the native language,” says Tom Hassan, current president of School Year Abroad. “Yet, the benefits of such an experience were undeniable. Those first students learned more than Spanish; they grew in independence, resilience, and empathy.”