Mission Fields in our Midst: A Model for Effective International Student Programs at High Schools of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod

Abstract

The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) has a unique opportunity to proclaim the gospel to teens from around the world who enroll in its various high schools. In the effort to serve these students faithfully, operations at these high schools are adjusted to accommodate international students. Each school which conducts an international student program has the responsibility to foster relationships between international students and the host school family while being continually conscious of the academic, mental, and spiritual health of the international students. This project examines the international student programs at three WELS high schools: Fox Valley Lutheran High School, St. Croix Lutheran Academy, and Wisconsin Lutheran High School. This paper highlights the worthwhile methods being employed at each of these schools in order that this project might serve as an appropriate resource for a WELS preparatory or area Lutheran high school seeking to establish, improve, or expand its international student program.