Duke of Edinburgh's International Award
Get ready to unlock your potential with the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award program at VERSO! This globally recognized program empowers young people aged 14-25 to set and achieve goals in service, physical recreation, skills, and adventurous journeys.
At VERSO, we're proud to offer this prestigious award, celebrating commitment, dedication, and personal growth. It's not just an award – it's a journey of self-discovery and accomplishment that builds character, develops leadership skills, and fosters a sense of responsibility and resilience.
Participants can tailor their journey by selecting objectives in each of the following areas:
Service: Make a difference in your community with 12 months of service.
Physical Recreation: Achieve new heights of fitness over 12 or 6 months.
Skills: Cultivate your passions and talents with hands-on learning over 12 or 6 months.
Adventurous Journeys: Dive into the great outdoors with a thrilling 4-day expedition.
Residential (Gold Level): Take it to the next level with a 5-day residential experience away from home.
Join us in embracing the adventure of a lifetime! The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award is more than just a program; it's a pathway to personal excellence and community impact. Together, let's embark on this exciting journey, pushing boundaries, making memories, and shaping a brighter future!
Graduation Requirements
Upper Loop learners normally attend 4 academic years and must earn a minimum of 22 Carnegie Credits to graduate with a VERSO High School Diploma in accordance with New York State Learning Standards guidelines.
Learners with a Thai passport must also meet the Ministry of Education's Thai language requirement, giving them a minimum total of 25 Carnegie Credits, with 4 credits achieved through Thai language courses.
English 4 credits
Mathematics 3 credits
Science 3 credits
Humanities 4 credits
World Languages 1 credit
Physical & Health Education 2.5 credits
Arts 1 credit
Electives 3.5 credits
Minimum Requirement: 22 credits
In addition, graduates must complete:
- a VERTEX Project: Each learner in Grade 12 must complete and present a year-long independent research project, culminating in a 4000 word essay.
- the uniVERSOlly Well Program: Concurrently with their academic studies, each year each learner must complete the uniVERSOlly Well Program, which is a non-credit program element which has 2 main components:
- positive psychology, mental health, and
- university/college and career exploration and preparation
- the development of a Personal Brand Identity through a cohesive personal design language demonstrated in both a portfolio website and resume/CV to showcase their professional and personal identity.
The Dual Transcript
VERSO has built a curriculum bridge that connects the current world of university entrance requirements with the future world of the evolving global economy. We recognize that currently universities are in transition from assessing applicants solely based on GPA and external standardized test scores like SAT and ACT, to a more holistic assessment based upon a portfolio of work and looking at applicants’ “unique strengths, abilities, interests, and histories fostered, understood, and celebrated.”
The continuing evolution of the university admissions process has led us to develop our iteration of a dual transcript for our high school learners. Our learners will receive a Mastery Transcript that reflects future-ready skills showcasing the key competencies and the corresponding key evidence that they have developed, and perhaps even mastered, during their high school journey at VERSO International School in Bangkok.
In addition to this Mastery Transcript, VERSO graduates will also receive a standard US high school transcript together with a WASC- accredited US high school diploma.
In summary, every VERSO graduate will earn:
• An official, WASC-accredited US high school diploma
• A Mastery Transcript
• A Process Portfolio
• A network of mentors
• Personal recommendation letters
Selected VERSO learners will additionally gain:
• High-quality internship experiences
• Industry references
VERSO is the first international school in Thailand to join the Mastery Transcript Consortium® (MTC), a growing network of schools in the US and internationally that are introducing a digital high school transcript which will reflect the unique skills, strengths and interests of each learner rather than traditional grades and scores.
Together with other highly progressive schools around the world, VERSO is playing an active role with the MTC in redesigning how learners prepare for college, career, and life.
The MTC is gaining traction with universities, especially in North America, where over 170 colleges have reviewed and accepted applicants who applied with a Mastery Transcript. MTC currently has over 400 member schools and university acceptance of the Mastery Transcript continues to grow among colleges and universities.
To find out more, please visit https://mastery.org/
VERSO recognizes that most learners will be applying to colleges and universities that still require a traditional transcript which reflects only courses, credits and grade point average [GPA].
Alongside building a mastery transcript, each learner will have a standard American transcript which they are able to share with their college and university of interest.
Bridging History and Science
By Cohort 9-10 Learners
