Back to school!

Today I got the chance to visit the Pelgulinna Gymnasium in Tallinn, where I spoke with high school students about current events in the U.S.  I had a fantastic time talking with the students and also enjoyed learning a bit about their school. 

Pelgulinna Gymnasium is known for its enhanced arts programs, and some of Estonia’s most famous contemporary artists and musicians attended here, as well as Estonia’s very own Mart Laar!  I heard about this from local teacher Kristi Saare who participated in the local program Noored Kooli which is a lot like the U.S.’ Teach for America program.  (I first met her a year ago when we invited the new group of Noored Kooli teachers and mentors to the Embassy to meet Ambassador Levine and was delighted that she invited us to visit her class).



Talking about current events with students at Pelgulinna Gymnasium

 

And speaking of that class … it was a challenging task for me to decide what to talk about with the students with so many current events to choose from.   In the end I decided to talk about marriage equality in the U.S., climate change policy and, of course, the recent events in Ukraine.  



Marriage equality is a heavily debated issue in the U.S.

Since gay marriage has become legal in some U.S. states a number of famous American LGBT people have gotten married, including of course, Ellen Degeneres!  But beyond the celebrity weddings, people in the U.S. have a range of opinions and feelings about it.  Many people are against it because of their religious beliefs, while others strongly support it because they believe the right to marry who you love is a human right.  So far 17 states in the U.S. have legalized same-sex marriage and many others are considering moving in that direction.  President Obama, himself, supports it and has taken steps to support it on the federal level. 

Is it getting warm in here?  Our classroom, which was on the top floor with tons of windows on a very sunny day, was perfect for the next current issue I tackled: climate change!  This is an issue that is close to my own heart as I worked at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for seven years prior to joining the U.S. diplomatic corps.  Climate change is happening and mankind is the cause according to 97% of climate scientists, however in the U.S. a political debate is still underway as to what should be done about it – and many people are afraid of the economic impacts of reducing carbon emissions.

President Obama has launched a new campaign to address carbon emissions through more efficient vehicle standards, greater energy efficiency in buildings and new regulations for new and existing power plants.  And did you know that China is now the world’s #1 producer of carbon emissions?  This fact points to why we need international, multi-country initiatives to combat climate change and that is the final part of the President’s initiative – an international climate change agreement worked through the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Finally, I spoke with the students about the current crisis in Ukraine and shared a video clip of the President talking about the U.S. response to the situation.  President Obama has repeatedly stated his hope that a diplomatic solution – including both the government of Ukraine and that of Russia – can be found and that, in the short term, the situation can be de-escalated.  I was 14 in 1989 when the Berlin Wall came down and remember watching – with relief! - relations warm between the west and the east.  I only hope that some of the goodwill and friendship we have developed since then will get us through this difficult time. 

All and all, I really enjoyed my visit to Pelgulinna Gymnasium, meeting its students, and sharing what Americans are talking about.  It was a great time and reinforced how bright Estonian students are and how well they speak and understand English!     

Blog post by Alison Davis, Assistant Public Affairs Officer
Photos by Tiiu Vitsut, Cultural Assistant