Skovsøen – Danish Language Village offers the High School Experience plus credit

Imagine spending a month up in the beautiful north woods of Minnesota and earning a full year of high school language credit? Possible? Yes, at Skovsøen, the Danish language immersion and culture camp of Concordia Language Villages in Bemidji, Minnesota, you can earn a full year of language credit through our hands-on, experiential learning simulation of living in Denmark. Cross the border into Skovsøen and enter a world of experience-based learning, where the food, sports, music, dance, and games of Denmark come alive – and all in Danish! As a Skovsøen credit villager, you will experience the biking culture of Denmark, environmental education, how Denmark views the world, as well as how Danes relate to politics and current issues, traditional holiday and cultural celebrations, and the history of Denmark and its relationship to the European Union. Your journey towards Danish language proficiency is filled with hands-on learning that will advance your ability to communicate with confidence and broaden your cultural awareness, as well as get you accustomed to travel abroad and life in Denmark. The high school credit curriculum is rigorous and fully accredited and a Concordia Language Village experience, in general, not only promotes language learning at all levels, but allows villagers to explore connections with other cultures and enhance their understanding of what it means to be a global citizen.

The Skovsøen high school credit program is available to students entering the 9th grade and is an effective and enriching way to complete their high school language graduation requirement. As a result of their summer experiences, the Skovsøen credit villagers go on to take advantage of this opening in their high school schedule to add other learning opportunities, such as additional science classes, a second (or third) language, or the post-secondary option (PSEO) at a local college or university that provides the student with college credit. Many of the high school credit villagers find their Skovsøen experiences to be an asset when writing their college essays. They distinguish themselves as independent learners with a passion for language and culture, as well as with a curiosity for the world around them and, in the words of the CLV mission, an awareness of their responsibility as citizens in the global community. A good portion of the credit villagers also go on to study and live in Denmark, either through traditional study abroad programs, Danish folk high schools, or by matriculating directly into the Danish university system because of their high level of language competency. A Skovsøen high school credit experience is truly a springboard to the world!

For more information, visit the Concordia Language Villages website (http://www.concordialanguagevillages.org) or email the dean, Liz “Lis” Klages at klages@cord.edu.