Capital High School students may have noticed a few more faces around campus Feb. 4. In fact, it was hard to miss the large, diverse group of about 15 people, speaking mainly in French about the interesting aspects of the school.

African visitors — from as far west as Senegal and as far east as Uganda — came to Capital to observe a thriving American high school and learn how they can improve schools in their own countries. Along with interpreters and Lorraine Goldman, a volunteer with the Santa Fe Council on International Relations (CIR), a nonprofit educational organization that coordinated the visit, the Africans visited several Capital classrooms to explore programs being offered, including the Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) program, the Biomedical Pathway classrooms and the new business program.

Capital students got a lesson of their own on Africa's structure and educational systems.

"We don't have high schools like this in our country," said Ketakandriana Rafitoson of Madagascar. "I want to build a school like this."

Rafitoson is a part-time journalist, legal adviser on electrical matters, nonprofit leader for education, leader in the Society for Freedom of Expression, aide for disabled children and a "mommy and wife."

The CIR chooses people with leadership skills to come so that they can start to implement ideas they learn here in their own countries.

Rafitoson, in particular, hopes that schools like Capital, with more career-oriented subjects, will become more abundant in countries such as Madagascar. She noted that she and the others were intrigued by the amount of volunteering people in the United States do.

The guests were particularly taken with the AVID program, a program designed to help students who will be first-generation college students achieve their goals. She explained this concept was new to them.

"I have children (and) parents intervene if a child is left behind," said Veronique Niangui, the editor in chief of a newspaper in Gabon. "They will have private teachers outside of school hours. The school is not involved in (any sort) of 'catch-up program.' Many parents cannot read or write so they do not know if their child falls behind."

She noted that in many of their countries, students were still reprimanded, sometimes even hit, for not understanding a subject, a fact many of the African education specialists hoped to change.

Channell Wilson-Segura, Capital's AVID director, explained to the visitors how teachers in the AVID program are there to help students succeed in our country.

"In (my country), the teacher is the person who has the knowledge," Rafitoson said. "They are very high up. There is no relationship between the teacher and the student. You have to try to make the effort by yourself."

"AVID allows all students to learn at the same level, even second-language learners," Carolina Dominguez, a freshman in AVID, told the visitors.

The visitors also observed the introduction to health care careers, biomedical sciences, business and engineering classes. Ray Henderson, business adviser, explained that there are many opportunities for "career exploration" at Capital.

"There are really no electives," Rafitoson said of the educational system in her country. "If students want to do any specialization, they go to college, which is very expensive, with no scholarships or grants, so not many people do. (African students) just learn the basics: Languages (English and French), math, history and science."

Marou Amadou, a civil-rights lawyer from Niger, agreed with Rafitoson, but pointed out that African schools do have their positive aspects as well. Students in Africa, explained Amadou, do seem to know a great deal more about foreign affairs than many American students.

"(New Mexican students) are a little luckier because you live so close to Mexico and know what is happening there," Amadou said. "(But) many people here only know what happens in America."

The visitors took something away from their visit, Lorraine Goldman said. Their interpreter, Gerard Lob, said visits like this show people America is more than just, "the home of McDonald's."

"One thing they tend to be surprised by is that (Americans) can say what we think and not get taken away in the middle of the night," Goldman said. "We are free to express ourselves. That is a huge message."

"They come from countries structured differently than ours," Lob said. "They may be under dictatorship and cannot openly criticize. Our president does not have full power and cannot decide everything."

The visitors ended their day eating lunch with a group of Capital students. They inquired about the students' lives here and their plans after high school. Many of the students explained how they would like to go to college and get master's or doctoral degrees. The visitors from Africa inquired specifically about Samantha Nottke, a senior at Capital who has already gotten an EMT license and has plans to be a doctor in the future. Students were given a boost of confidence.

"I hope you do well," Rafitoson said to the students. "I know you will."


Rebecca Gonzales is a senior at Capital High School. You can reach her at nellybly22@gmail.com.