Refugee Students and the Diploma Programme: A Story of Two Schools

Joe Kennedy is the former Head of School and Diploma Programme Coordinator at Riverstone International School in Boise, Idaho. He is responsible for bringing all three of the IB programmes to Riverstone and Idaho. He has been a teacher or administrator in parochial, public, and independent international schools for 23 years. Mr Kennedy holds two degrees from Washington State University - a B.A. in Political Science and a B.A. in Social Studies from as well as a master's in Education from Central Washington University. He will become Head of School at Island Academy (an IB Diploma Programme candidate school) in Antigua in August 2008. He has a wife, Tina, and a daughter, Nikki.

Brian Bava serves as an Associate Director of Admissions and the Director of International Student Recruitment at the College of Idaho. Prior to arriving at the College, he was Associate Director of Admissions, College Counselor, and International Student Coordinator at Kimball Union Academy in Meriden, New Hampshire. A graduate of the Armand Hammer United World College in Montezuma, New Mexico, Mr Bava received his International Baccalaureate Diploma in 1991. He then attended American University in Washington, D.C. where he received his B.A. in International Studies and History.

Yordanos Refu is a refugee from Ethiopia who entered the Refugee IB Diploma Programme in 2004. She had very little formal education before entering the programme. She graduated from Riverstone International School in May of 2007 with a number of IB certificates. Today she attends the College of Idaho in Caldwell, Idaho.