Ribet Academy Offers Ground Breaking International Program

Ribet Academy, in Los Angeles, is a College Preparatory School for students in pre-school through high school. The school also hosts an International Program as well, featuring an English Language Development Program which prepares non-English speaking international students a remarkable leg-up before their studies begin.

This program taught by April Lustre is to immerse these international students in the American culture before school starts for the year. With Ms. Lustre and Marlene Shelton these students have had a whirlwind “Welcome to America” experience. Marlene is literally a driving force for these kids taking them to several of the activities around the Los Angeles area.

There are thirteen students this year ranging from third grade to high school coming from both Africa and Europe.

Part of the program is about learning how to do things here in the USA. They learn things such as vocabulary in the food and career genres. They are taught life skills such as setting up a bank account and getting a cell phone to stay in touch with their families back home.

The school also takes the time to teach life skills most of us take for granted. For example, they went shopping for toilet paper at Target recently.

The school curriculum is made up of American culture and behavior. The students also prepare for the TOFFL test, a language proficiency test that the Ribet Academy students take.

Immersing the students in Californian life is also a very important part of the school’s innovative program. The kids were recently treated to a day at Disneyland. They have also gotten a chance to go to the Americana mall in Glendale and Universal Studios. Learning American culture is an important facet of excelling at school here for the international students.

The students get to go visit the California coast and enjoy the beach. They continue learning even on their fun outings going to places such as the California Science Center.

The International students live on campus in dorms at the Ribet Academy. American food is one of the things that the school finds the kids love to try for the very first time.

American kids may take pancakes for granted but not these kids and they had a blast making pancakes for the very first time. French fries and pizza are part of the American experience the International students get to try.

Considering the fact that the International students come here to school, most not knowing English, this early English Language Development Program is truly a gift. It helps to make the transition from home to a new school year at Ribet Academy more seamless then it might be otherwise.

The entire staff at Ribet Academy, and most notably Ms. Lustre and Ms. Shelton, deserve a round of applause!

Ribet Academy, 2911 San Fernando Rd., Los Angeles, (323) 344-4330 or visit www.ribetacademy.com.