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IB Silver Platter Ceremony: Largest Ever |
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Rufus King International Baccalaureate High School had its largest ever “Silver Platter Ceremony” on Tuesday, January 29, 2008. At this ceremony 93 of an unprecedented 113 IB Full Diploma candidates individually presented their 3,000-4000 word Extended Essays on silver platters to the faculty advisors who coached them through the process of creating university-quality research papers as part of attaining their IB Diplomas.
Students presented original research in areas as diverse as
history, math, biology, physics, anthropology, politics, English
literature, psychology, and peace and conflict studies. Examples of
their research questions include:
• To what extent does praline neutralize the neurological effects of glutamate as it is found in MSG?
• To what extent do Arthur Koestler and George Orwell agree on the role of women in their novels Darkness at Noon and 1984?
• To what extent do the Hmong people experience racism in Wisconsin and what can be done to decrease it?
• To what extent can postmodernism inform discussions on ending homophobia?
• To what extent have the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis
influenced the US’s negotiation tactics to prevent the proliferation of
nuclear weapons towards the People’s Republic of North Korea?
This research component, along with a unique Theory of Knowledge course
that requires critical reflection on ways of knowing and the role which
knowledge plays in a global society, and a minimum of 150 hours of
Creativity (leadership), Action (cooperation) and Community Service
distinguish these students as completing the most rigorous college
preparatory system offered worldwide. The students elect to do these
requirements even though these components do not contribute to their
transcript grades. The school is expected 230 community members to
acknowledge these students who are among Milwaukee Public School’s
finest. The ceremony was followed by a dessert reception.
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