The International Business Academy at Worthington Kilbourne High School is now accepting applications for next year's freshman class and still has openings for sophomores and juniors interested in a global business education.

Teacher Susan Kucharek said the academy can accept up to 25 incoming freshmen as well as some sophomores and juniors.

"So far we have focused our recruiting efforts on incoming freshmen, but we have found that there are quite a few of this year's freshmen who thought about joining the academy, but decided against it last year. Now, after settling into high school, they are still interested.

"We want them to know it is not too late to join," she said.

Kucharek said there are currently 25 students in the academy.

"We are very happy with that number, especially considering we opened the academy just last school year with a very short amount of time to recruit and get the word out," she said. "Over the past year and a half, we've worked hard to make connections with the local business community and colleges and to promote the academy."

Last month, academy students celebrated International Education Week with a Nov. 15 celebration of international foods.

Kucharek said students prepared and sampled family recipes representing China, India, Italy, Mexico, Egypt, the Caribbean and Poland.

That same week, students talked to visiting judges from Ukraine.

"The visit from the judges was wonderful," Kucharek said. "It was actually arranged by the Ohio Supreme Court through the Open World of Law Delegation they hosted," she said. "Our school was the only school chosen to meet with the judges during their visit."

She said the five-judge panel, which included one Ohio Supreme Court judge, talked about the differences between Ukrainian and United States justice systems.

"They do not believe in the death penalty and they do not have juries," Kucharek said. "After the judges talked about their judicial system, the students asked questions about their law, culture and economy."

Academy students prepared questions to ask the judges, but also came up with interesting questions based on the judges' responses, Kucharek said.

"It became a true interactive session," she said. "Even the representative from the Ohio Supreme Court commented on the quality of the students' questions and their enthusiasm. The students conducted themselves very professionally and I was proud of them."

Last year, academy students met with the mayoral delegation from Sayama, Japan, Worthington's sister city.

"One of the points we try to reinforce with our students is the interconnectedness of the world today," Kucharek said. "The students are learning how to interact with individuals in important positions from other countries who do not speak English. In addition, they are learning about the history, culture, customs and economics of other countries through first-hand information, which is much better than reading about it in a book."

Kucharek said a big component of the academy is career exploration.

"All of our students are in the process of setting up and completing an all-day job-shadowing experience," she said. "This fall, our returning IBA students were paired with a business mentor from the community. They will shadow their mentor on a day when school is not in session. Our first-year students are asked to select a local business person in a field in which they are interested and shadow them for a day."

The students e-mail pen pals in Italy, Austria and Japan, but because of the lack of access to technology in Ukraine, have been corresponding by "snail mail" to Ukrainian students.

"One of our goals this year is to strengthen our relationships with the students in many of these countries through videoconferencing, if possible," Kucharek said.

As part of an Earth Day celebration, students also will learn to grow and sell plants and herbs, she said.

"This is exciting for us because it will give our students a hands-on business project," she said.

Next semester, first-year students may visit Port Columbus International Airport for a tour of customs and behind-the-scenes business operations, while second-year students will visit an accounting firm.

Kucharek said she hopes all students who are considering a career in business or would someday like to open their own business will consider attending the International Business Academy.

"We have students with very diverse career plans, including some who want to be physicians, architects, interior designers, etc., so even if students do not want to go into business, they can use the skills they learn in many careers."

Returning academy student Wasim Soomro said, "IBA is one of the best programs at Worthington Kilbourne for providing students with numerous opportunities to expand their skills."