The Global Outreach Program A Unique Catholic Student Exchange ProgramThe idea of Global Outreach began at St. Mary Central High School in Menasha, Wisconsin during the school year of 1989/90 when the Catholic schools of Neenah/Menasha were facing a need to restructure. While that restructuring was taking place, SMC was facing a serious enrollment crisis. In the face of that crisis Global Outreach was conceived as a way to market the school internationally. The concept was built on the premise that SMC had a highly marketable service to offer, i.e., a high quality, safe, one year Catholic high school experience for the children of families in other countries who could afford such an experience. The first seven students came in the fall of 1990 from Latin America, Japan, and Switzerland. In the meantime, with the fall of communism, an opportunity opened in Central/Eastern and Northern Europe to assist the Church there in the formation of a new generation of young Catholic leaders. The idea was to utilize the structures of the Catholic Church, specifically its parochial secondary schools, to link Catholic families which had survived the persecution with Catholic families in the U.S., hoping that their children could share friendship and faith in the new era of religious freedom and inspire one another as fellow Catholics. This was an opportunity for SMC and other American Catholic high schools to become more catholic as well as more Catholic by sharing different Catholic faith experiences and traditions. It promised to be an opportunity for Catholic families, schools and parishes to participate creatively in the new evangelization. This vision of Global Outreach won immediate interest and support, giving American Catholics opportunities, after decades of praying for the conversion of Russia, to put their faith into action in a new era of hope. American Catholics could participate in the missionary activity of the Church without leaving their own homes. They would help the students prepare to do what Bishop Cirkle of Brno, Czech Republic, suggested when he spoke in Menasha in the mid-1990’s, i.e., “return as missionaries to their own countries.” Essential to this vision were the insights of Robert Greenleaf, author of “Servant Leadership,” who argued that if society is to be renewed, it must be renewed through institutions because institutions control our lives. He pointed out that our institutions are large and powerful, often inept, and sometimes corrupt. The way to change them is to form people of competence to have a servant ethic with a vision to take over institutions and change them to better serve the needs of the people. Also key to understanding the methodology of Global Outreach is to recognize that the real influence of a leader does not ultimately depend on that person’s own talent or charisma, but, rather, on the strength and clarity of the vision that the person articulates. The vision of Global Outreach has remained constant – to invite carefully chosen young Catholics from the Church in Central/Eastern and Northern Europe to spend their junior year of high school in Catholic schools in the Midwest (Wisconsin, Nebraska and Minnesota) so that they might learn how we American Catholics live our faith in a tradition of freedom and, at the same time, share with our youth, our schools and our parishes their strong faith commitment, helping to strengthen the spirituality of American Catholics, especially young Catholics. The vision of the program is summed up in the motto given to Catholic youth by our recent popes: “Come, help build a civilization of love.” Beginning in the fall of 1991 students from the then Czechoslovakia as well as Hungary began attending SMC as well as Roncalli High School in Manitowoc. Within a few years all Global Outreach students were coming from Central/Eastern and Northern Europe.
An historical timeline for the program is as follows:
1990 – first students attend SMC
1991 – first students (6) from Czechoslovakia and Hungary attend SMC and Roncalli in Manitowoc
1992 – first students attend Catholic high schools in Nebraska through the leadership of the Notre Dame Sisters in Omaha. Grant monies from the Norbertines’ Augustine Stewardship Fund underwrite this effort. Other grant money from The Raskob Foundation and Our Sunday Visitor helps Global Outreach. The first GO summer trip including an international youth camp begins, enabling American Catholic youths and adults to learn about the culture and the Church in Central Europe.
1994 – Global Outreach becomes incorporated as a registered non-profit in Wisconsin and is included as an official Catholic organization in the Kennedy Directory under the Green Bay Diocese. The first student from Latvia comes to SMC. Xavier High School in Appleton (1993), Notre Dame Academy in Green Bay and Marinette Catholic Central (for two years) begin inviting Global Outreach students to attend their schools. Fr. Mike Carroll is assigned to parishes in Tigerton and Marion. Mrs. Mary Piette assumes the role of Executive Director.
1995 – The first students from Slovakia participate in the program; selections are coordinated by the Slovak Catholic School Association. Catholic Memorial in Waukesha and Madison Edgewood begin welcoming students.
1996 – The first students from Lithuania come as part of the program under the leadership of the Lithuanian Jesuits and with the cooperation of the Lithuanian Catholic School Association as well as with financial support from the Norbertines. Marquette U.H.S., Milwaukee, Newman in Wausau, Lourdes in Oshkosh and Cretin-Derham Hall in St. Paul begin welcoming students.
1997 – Dominican H.S. in Whitefish Bay, WI, invites its first GO student.
1998 – Mc Donell H.S. in Chippewa Falls welcomes its first GO student.
2004 – Global Outreach is approved for probationary certification by CSIET – the Council on Standards for International Education and Travel. 23 students are invited to participate in the program, a high mark for participation. The mission & vision of the program continues to be highly effective as does its small, closely knit structure.
2008 – Global Outreach Director Mary Piette retires as Director and joins G.O.'s board. G.O. welcomes new Director Barbara Tota-Boryczka and Spiritual Leader Father Larry Seidl. First students born after "The Velvet Revolution" participate in program.
