Grants

School Profiles

QFI is proud to support dozens of schools in cities across the United States, Qatar, and South America. In this section, you will find profiles of the schools and their programs we help fund, whether they focus on Arabic Language and Culture, STE(A)M, Youth Engagement, or Open Education initiatives. For a list of QFI-initiated grants to organizations, please visit us here.

Brazil - Sao Paulo and Curitiba

BibliASPA
Awarded: Anchor School Programs
About BibliASPA: QFI works with BibliASPA (Biblioteca e Centro de Pesquisa América do Sul-Países Árabes; Arab and South American Library and Research Center) to provide instruction in Arabic language and culture to high school students in two cities in Brazil: São Paulo and Curitiba. Students from schools throughout the city attend BibliASPA's after-school Arabic courses. In line with QFI and BibilASPA’s belief that no language can be taught outside of its cultural context, the classes are combined with cultural activities, such as exhibitions, films, storytelling, dance, and music, to provide an interconnected and robust curriculum. Learn more about BibliASPA

California

Bell High School - Los Angeles, CA
Awarded: Anchor School Program
About Bell High School: Bell High School pioneered teaching Arabic in the state of California in 2007. Current enrollment in the Arabic program at Bell H.S is 165 students. Three levels of Arabic are taught at the school. With QFI funding, the two programs will maintain, enhance and establish (new) elements of each program, which includes addressing needed material, expanding educational staff, and providing additional program related services. Learn more about Bell High School.

Granada Hills Charter School - Los Angeles, CA
Awarded: Anchor School Program
About Granada Hills: Granada Hills is an independent public school consisting of over 4,200 students in grades 9–12, located in Granada Hills, California. It currently holds the record as the top comprehensive public senior high school in Los Angeles and the largest charter school in the nation. With QFI funding Granada Hills Charter High School will maintain and grow their Arabic Language program by adding Arabic 2 and strengthening their standards based curriculum. Additionally, Granada Hills will support activities to develop long term sustainability of an Arabic language program with community support and outreach. Learn more about Granada Hills.

Student Empowerment Academy/New Tech at Jefferson High School - Los Angeles, CA
Awarded: Anchor School Program
About New Tech: SEA/New Tech pioneered teaching Arabic in the state of California in 2008 (preceded by Bell H.S. followed in 2007). Current enrollment in the Arabic program at SEA/New Tech is 136 students. With QFI funding, the program will maintain, enhance and establish (new) elements of each program, which includes addressing needed material, expanding educational staff, and providing additional program related services. Learn more about New Tech.

Hawaii

James Campbell High School (JCHS) (in cooperation with OneWorld Now!) - Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Awarded: Anchor School Program
About JCHS: James Campbell High School in Ewa Beach serves seven rural and two military communities in that area. It offers comprehensive programs in vocational, technical, academic and special education. The student population is ethnically diverse and includes Filipinos, Caucasians, part-Hawaiians, Japanese, Hispanics, Indo-Chinese, Samoans, and African-Americans. James Campbell High School was accredited in 2011 by the Western Association of Schools & Colleges for a period of six years with a mid-term review. Learn more about JCHS.

Louisiana

International High School of New Orleans - New Orleans, LA
Awarded: Anchor School Program
About the International High School: The International High school of New Orleans offers Arabic Language as part of both its International Baccalaureate Program and traditional foreign language program to students in 9th, 10th and 11th grades. IHS will expand the Arabic Language program by offering Arabic Language to students enrolled in 12th grade as well as opening the classes to students from high schools in the metropolitan area. QFI Funding will assist International High School in 4 main ways, technology integration, resource procurement, cultural events, and teacher salary. Learn more about the IHS.

Maryland

Meade High School (MHS) – Annapolis, MD
Awarded: One Year Grant-to-School
About Meade: Meade High School is part of the Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS), one of the 50 largest school systems in the United States and the fifth largest in Maryland. Their school system educates approximately 76,600 students in 125 schools. Ten of their schools have been named National Blue Ribbon schools and 14 have been named Maryland Blue Ribbon schools. Learn more about MHS.

Massachusetts

Boston Arts Academy - Boston, MA
Awarded: Anchor School Program
About BAA: Founded in 1998, Boston Arts Academy (BAA) is the city’s first and only high school for the visual and performing arts. It was founded on the conviction that academics and the arts are equally important to student development and achievement. The arts are integrated throughout the academic curriculum motivating students with a variety of learning styles to succeed in high school and pursue higher education. BAA is committed to providing a rigorous arts and academic education to urban youth who seldom have the opportunity to focus on the arts. Learn more about QFI and the Boston Arts Academy.

Michigan

The Dearborn Academy – Dearborn, MI
Awarded: One Year Grant-to-School
About The Dearborn Academy: The Dearborn Academy is a charter school serving a multicultural community through individualized, focused instruction allowing each student to achieve academic excellence and exhibit social responsibility. The delivery of newly aligned Arabic language instruction aligned to World Standards Benchmarks and Language Arts Content Expectations is a unique and special offering of The Dearborn Academy. Veteran teachers develop daily lesson plans in the alphabet, vocabulary, and grammar of the Arabic language, as well as the geography, history, and culture of the Arabic world. Such instruction is a doorway to the celebration of our diversity. Learn more about the Dearborn Academy.

Minnesota

Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) – Minneapolis, MN
Awarded: One Year Grant-to-School
About Minneapolis Public Schools: MPS serves more than 34,000 students in the Minneapolis area. MPS boasts an arts-rich community where students can learn reading, math and science through the arts. Additionally, MPS offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, as well as College in Schools (CIS), Career and Technical Education, and Advanced Placement (AP) coursework to support our students educational growth. In particular, the MPS boasts a robust and advanced World Language program, where students can choose to learn Arabic, French, German, Hmong, Japanese, Ojibwe, or Spanish. Learn more about MPS.

Montana

Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) – Missoula, MT
Awarded: One Year Grant-to-School
About Missoula County Public Schools: Missoula County Public Schools serves 8,400 students in seventeen (K-12) schools in Missoula, Montana. The District also provides preschool programs and adult & continuing education. The District's vision, mission and principles guide its curriculum and extra-curricular activities. Learn more about MCPS.

New York

PS 368 (in cooperation with Global Language Project) - Harlem, NYC
Awarded: Anchor School Program
About PS 368: Hamilton Heights began in 2002 as a program at PS 28. In 2007 it gained official status as a K-5 school, PS 368 Hamilton Heights School. The school has a progressive academic approach with an emphasis on project-based learning. Teachers have successfully created an open and collaborative learning environment. Learn more about P.S. 368.

PS 261 (in cooperation with Global Language Project) - Brooklyn, NYC
Awarded: Anchor School Program
About PS 261: PS 261 is an elementary school in the Boerum Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn where children develop a love for learning in a nurturing and enriched educational environment. GLP serves underserved elementary public school students by offering cost-effective and scalable language-learning programs focused on acquisition, proficiency, and measurable results supported by testing and research. The Arabic curriculum has been designed in close collaboration with Dr. Victoria Gilbert and the Arabic teacher. Learn more about PS 261.

Ohio

The Academy of World Languages (TAWL) (K-8 Public School) – Cincinnati, OH
Awarded: One Year Grant-to-School
About The Academy of World Languages: The Academy of World Languages (AWL) is a PreK-8 magnet school providing a diverse cultural climate and foreign-language learning opportunities including Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian and English as a Second Language (ESL). The Academy's staff and students represent over 40 nationalities and languages. They currently teach 4 languages: Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Russian. Students take approximately 150 minutes of foreign language on a weekly basis. Learn more about TAWL.

Oregon

Lincoln High School and West Sylvan Middle School with Portland Public Schools - Portland, OR
Awarded: Anchor School Program
About Lincoln: Lincoln High School, established in 1869, was the first public high school in the Pacific Northwest and is now known as Portland’s “school of excellence.” It hosts an International Studies Center, which is a magnet program open to all Portland public school students interested in expanding their understanding of foreign language and cultures. Learn more about LHS.
About West Sylvan Middle School: Portland's West Sylvan Middle School serves grades 6-8 in the Portland Public Schools district. It is among the few public middle schools in Oregon to receive a distinguished GreatSchools Rating of 10 out of 10. Learn more about WSMS.

Pennsylvania

Independence Charter School (ICS) – Philadelphia, PA
Awarded: One Year Grant-to-School
About Independence Charter School: Independence Charter School (ICS) is a community-oriented public K-8 charter school located in Center City Philadelphia. Independence Charter provides students with an intellectually stimulating and internationally focused environment emphasizing the arts, languages and world cultures. They are the only Philadelphia school to deliver an integrated curriculum that uses world cultures and second language acquisition to introduce and connect content disciplines. One of their ultimate goals is to develop a bilingual, interculturally-competent and high achieving student body. Learn more about ICS.

Texas

Bellaire High School - Houston, TX
Awarded: Anchor School Program
About Bellaire: Bellaire High School is the only school in the Houston Independent School District that offers Arabic as a course for academic credit (in the 2012-2013 school year, Lee High School will also offer Arabic). Bellaire has offered Arabic as a course since 1985 and today the school’s Arabic language program is offered as an in-school program. In addition, the school’s Arabic Club offers students with many cultural, after-school enrichment opportunities. With QFI funding, Bellaire High School will (1) increase Student Enrollment in the Arabic Language Program; (2) enhance the rigor of the Arabic Language Program; and (3) increase community- and city-wide awareness of the school’s Arabic Language Program. Learn more about Bellaire High School.

Lee High School - Houston, TX
Awarded: Anchor School Program
About LHS: Lee High School is an inner-city public comprehensive high school located in Houston, Texas that serves a diverse student body in grades 9-12 where students speak over 40 different languages. With QFI funding, students at Lee High School will have an opportunity to take up to three years of Arabic. The courses will be labeled Arabic 1, Arabic 2, and Arabic 3. Lee High School anticipates that up to 150 students will take Arabic each year. Lee High School plans to provide a myriad of cultural activities and experiences for the students in the program as well as the general school population to support this project. Learn more about Lee High School.

Utah

Renaissance Academy (RA) – Spanish Fork, UT
Awarded: One Year Grant-to-School
About Renaissance Academy: Renaissance Academy is a K-9 public charter school in Lehi, Utah that combines the Utah Core Curriculum with a unique pedagogy of world languages & cultures and learning experiences based on our school motto: Play Wonder Explore Serve. RA embraces a “beyond our borders” perspective to encourage young scholars to venture beyond personal expectations and find greater capacity for learning and contribution in their immediate and future spheres of influence. Learn more about RA.

Videos

The Road to Doha

QFI's Road to Doha program helped train and bring together youth from Qatar, the U.S., Brazil and Argentina to better understand and develop solutions to critical global issues and to more effectively raise environmental awareness.

The Future We Want

In June 2012, Youth Ambassadors for Science and the Environment traveled to Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Caravelas and Abrohlos National Marine Park before heading to Rio+20 Earth Summit.

YALLAH: Commit to Action, Minnesota

QFI selected 36 students from Brazil, Qatar and the U.S. to participate in the National Service-Learning Conference held in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Madeleine Albright Visits Lindblom

On April 10, 2012, Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright visited QFI's partner school, Lindblom Math and Science Academy.

Concordia Language Villages

In summer of 2011, QFI established a partnership with Concordia Language Villages. 31 youth from 20 different schools attended 2 or 4-week sessions at Al Waha, the Arabic Language Village.

QFI / WeVideo Behind the Scenes

The video that launched SXSW Film, highlighting QFI student filmmakers who collaborated on short water films.

QFI Celebrates Foreign Language Week

QFI's Executive Director speaks about the importance of learning another language.

BtoQ Compilation Video

Check out all five "Brazil to Qatar" National Geographic student videos in one compilation.

"Women" during the BtoQ Exchange

Brazilian and Qatari students worked with National Geographic instructors during the Brazil to Qatar exchange to create a short piece on women.

"People and Nature" during the BtoQ Exchange

Brazilian and Qatari students worked with National Geographic instructors during the Brazil to Qatar exchange to create a short piece on people and nature.

Behind the Scenes at Brazil to Qatar: One World, Many Stories

A behind the scenes look at the #BtoQ exchange program that brought 22 high school students from Brazil to meet their counterparts in Qatar.

From Chicago to Doha: Connecting Cultures, Exploring Science

Learn about students from Chicago's Lindblom Math and Science Academy who went on QFI's exchange trip to Qatar.

Chicago2Doha Media Projects

39 students from 3 schools in Chicago and Qatar came together for the Connecting Cultures, Exploring Science trip. Students told their reflections of the trip through images, video and sound.

Glass Blowing at Chihuly's Studio: YALLAH 2011

QFI students in Seattle as part of the YALLAH cultural exchange trip in 2011 were invited to world-renowned glass blower Dale Chihuly's studio.

Sir Richard Branson speaks to Earth Day Qatar 2011

Earth Day Qatar 2011 was the premier event in the region, featuring speakers, discussions, workshops, and a special video message by Sir Richard Branson.

Meet our Brazilian students

Arabic Language and Culture in Sao Paolo - meet the Brazilian students and administrators of this program.

Crossing the divide

Watch as students from QFI partner schools in Washington DC and Boston tell their story of language learning and cultural exchange.

Our mission and the astrolabe

With its rich and varied history, the Astrolabe represents education, science, innovation and diversity. Highlighted in this video, these values underscore QFI's vision and programs.