Diplomacy Matters
The High School Foreign Service Association strives to raise awareness about the importance of the U.S. Foreign Service and Diplomacy among students beyond its chapters. For this reason, it is launching a new HSFSA Event: Diplomacy Matters.
Diplomacy affects almost every field in existence, even those that appear to have no relation with international affairs. Branching out from the national level, diplomacy affects the economy, cultures, science, and the daily lives of all citizens of the world. Students can see the effects of international diplomacy on the news, but they are also impacted by its implicit effects in their areas of special interest. Almost every club one sees in a regular high school has a subject in some way affected by foreign policy. Unfortunately, these impacts are rarely noticed, and the importance in the minds of students of dialogue, cooperation, and understanding is undermined. This problem is only second to the lack of appreciation for the work of U.S. Foreign Service Officers: those who work on the ground to put diplomacy into practice, protect American interests, and bring stability to the world.
Delivering these messages in a club setting is the most effective method of ensuring that students are not only informed about the importance of diplomacy and Foreign Service Officers, but also relate to the knowledge gained through their own interests.
Diplomacy affects almost every field in existence, even those that appear to have no relation with international affairs. Branching out from the national level, diplomacy affects the economy, cultures, science, and the daily lives of all citizens of the world. Students can see the effects of international diplomacy on the news, but they are also impacted by its implicit effects in their areas of special interest. Almost every club one sees in a regular high school has a subject in some way affected by foreign policy. Unfortunately, these impacts are rarely noticed, and the importance in the minds of students of dialogue, cooperation, and understanding is undermined. This problem is only second to the lack of appreciation for the work of U.S. Foreign Service Officers: those who work on the ground to put diplomacy into practice, protect American interests, and bring stability to the world.
Delivering these messages in a club setting is the most effective method of ensuring that students are not only informed about the importance of diplomacy and Foreign Service Officers, but also relate to the knowledge gained through their own interests.
Flag of the United States Foreign Service
U.S. Embassy in London, U.K.
Diplomacy Matters is a community service opportunity that involves HSFSA Chapter members giving 15/20-minute presentations to other clubs about the latter’s topic’s connection to international relations.
1.) Student Officers of an HSFSA Chapter can contact the leaders of other clubs and propose that 2-3 students from the HSFSA Chapter attend the club’s meeting and give a 15-20 minutes presentation about how the subject of the club and diplomacy are related.
Benefits: Networking with other clubs’ officers will provide valuable leadership and organizational skills to students in charge of an HSFSA Chapter.
2.) 2-3 volunteers are selected and are given a template presentation (provided by the HSFSA). The High School Foreign Service Association provides presentations for the following fields (ask your HSFSA contact to give you access to the template of your chosen topic):
1.) Student Officers of an HSFSA Chapter can contact the leaders of other clubs and propose that 2-3 students from the HSFSA Chapter attend the club’s meeting and give a 15-20 minutes presentation about how the subject of the club and diplomacy are related.
Benefits: Networking with other clubs’ officers will provide valuable leadership and organizational skills to students in charge of an HSFSA Chapter.
2.) 2-3 volunteers are selected and are given a template presentation (provided by the HSFSA). The High School Foreign Service Association provides presentations for the following fields (ask your HSFSA contact to give you access to the template of your chosen topic):
How it Works
Entrepreneurship
The Arts
Mathematics
Community Service
Literature
Science
Foreign Languages
Technology
Environment
Chess
Benefits: Motivated students will be able to give a much more engaging presentation than if the activity was compulsory.
3.) The template presentation provides minimal information about the topic and a variety of guiding questions to ensure that the students have a high-quality product, but also learn in the process.
Benefits: Presenters will not resort to reading from a script, but will add a personal touch to their presentations and will be able to use their outside knowledge to improve their work.
4.) The volunteers attend the other club’s meeting, give their presentation, and answer any questions. They are rewarded with 2-5 community service hours for their work.
Benefits: This adds a practical side and a motivating factor to the activity, thus bringing in more volunteers.
We welcome all reviews, advice, and questions! Please do not hesitate to contact us at info@hsfsa.org or https://hsfsa.org/contactus!
3.) The template presentation provides minimal information about the topic and a variety of guiding questions to ensure that the students have a high-quality product, but also learn in the process.
Benefits: Presenters will not resort to reading from a script, but will add a personal touch to their presentations and will be able to use their outside knowledge to improve their work.
4.) The volunteers attend the other club’s meeting, give their presentation, and answer any questions. They are rewarded with 2-5 community service hours for their work.
Benefits: This adds a practical side and a motivating factor to the activity, thus bringing in more volunteers.
We welcome all reviews, advice, and questions! Please do not hesitate to contact us at info@hsfsa.org or https://hsfsa.org/contactus!
