Pompano Beach High School: A Legacy of Global Engagement

Pompano Beach High School (PBHS) is a magnet school specializing in International Affairs with Information Technology, where students and educators are immersed in opportunities to gain a deeper understanding of the world. Our global initiatives include:

• Student exchanges
• Teacher and administrator exchanges
• Partner schools and online exchanges
• International trips
• Internships
• Club-sponsored international activities

The Journey Begins
Our journey into global engagement began with Ms. Julia Perlowski, a former teacher who traveled to India on a Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms fellowship. Inspired by her experience, other teachers embarked on similar exchange opportunities, establishing relationships with educators worldwide. These connections culminated in our first International Summit in 2012, attended by students and educators from Japan and Sweden. The enthusiasm and engagement from our visitors laid the foundation for what has become a cherished tradition.

Expanding Horizons
After the success of the inaugural summit, the second summit welcomed participants from Poland, Brazil, France, and India, deepening relationships with partner schools. PBHS also facilitated international trips for students and teachers, enriching their understanding of diverse cultures and educational systems.

The summit in 2017 was built on the success of the previous two summits with the spotlight shining on three schools from China. As Mandarin Chinese is a popular language offered at PBHS, students enjoyed interacting with students from the Chinese schools. We also enjoyed our returning guests from Brazil, France, and Poland. Relationships with educators and students continued to grow, so our summit expanded to include Egypt, Haiti, Ireland, and Switzerland.

The International Summit 2019 hosted a record number of participants with many returning schools and old friends attending. In addition to the returning schools from the 2017 summit, additional schools from India, Peru, Turkey, and the United Kingdom found their way to Pompano Beach High School.

A Growing Tradition
The 2019 International Summit set records, welcoming returning friends and newcomers from India, Peru, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. The growing participation underscored the strong bonds between PBHS and its global partners.

In 2021, amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, we upheld our commitment to global collaboration by hosting a fully virtual summit. Despite the distance, schools from China, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Mexico, Poland, Switzerland, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and Zimbabwe came together to continue our tradition.

By 2023, we adapted to ongoing travel restrictions with a partially virtual summit. The resilience of our community ensured another successful event, bridging global connections despite the obstacles.

Looking Ahead: 2025 and Beyond
This year, we are thrilled to host over 150 guests from every continent, including participants from Australia for the first time. As the International Summit grows, so does its impact, offering students unparalleled opportunities to connect, collaborate, and learn from their peers worldwide.

At PBHS, we remain committed to fostering global vision and academic excellence, inspiring the leaders of tomorrow to embrace an unlimited future.