Key Takeaways
“Learning with students from different countries or backgrounds has been at the heart of what’s made GOA so special and impactful for me. Specifically, it’s opened my eyes to so many different perspectives, and it’s helped me grow as a collaborator and connector.”
This reflection, shared by a current GOA Student Ambassador, captures something essential about learning in a globally connected community: students learn how to listen, communicate, and connect across difference. And those skills grow through relationships, shared experiences, and opportunities to lead.
The idea that students are collaborators and connectors is at the center of the GOA Student Ambassador Program, a student leadership program designed to “elevate the GOA student experience by providing a platform for students to share their educational journeys, support their peers in online learning, and further develop their collaborative skills.” And at Beijing City International School (BCIS), the program has become a powerful leadership opportunity that strengthens communication, mentorship, and student voice across their school community.
BCIS joined GOA at the start of the 2024-2025 academic year, with GOA courses expanding course options for high school students across multiple pathways, including the MYP Years Programme and IDEATE Program, where students co-design a personalized graduation pathway alongside courses for IB Diploma certificates, dual enrollment for university credit, or the Global Impact Diploma (GID). Jaclyn Barnhart, GOA Site Director and IDEATE Coordinator at BCIS, says, “GOA is an invaluable asset in our menu of opportunities that support our values and practices as a school.”
By their second semester with GOA, BCIS was ready to join the GOA Student Ambassador Program, specifically focusing on student recruitment and community building. Barnhart explains that she was looking for a student with experience in multiple GOA courses who had strong communication skills, a proactive approach to including others, and consistent positive leadership through example.
CongCong Z., a grade 9 student at the time, took on this role and quickly became a visible and active GOA representative within the BCIS community. As BCIS’s GOA Student Ambassador, CongCong has planned and led information sessions for students and families interested in learning more about GOA, facilitated cohort meetings for existing GOA students, and offered guidance to students who are new to GOA. Student Ambassadors work with prospective and enrolled students, both of which "are needed to build the profile of GOA opportunities within the school and to support and encourage students in a GOA cohort,” Barnhart says.
For CongCong, now a grade 10 student planning to enter the IB Diploma Programme next year, becoming a Student Ambassador grew directly out of her own GOA learning experience. “My largest motivation,” she says about becoming a GOA Student Ambassador, “was how I’d found value in [my GOA] course and wanted to share it with more people.” Beginning with Investing I, she has also taken Investing II, CS II: Analyzing Data with Python, and Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with GOA, resulting in a GOA Global Learning certification.
“My multifaceted experiences with GOA are the most valuable things I can share, which is why I center sharing around the student experience,” CongCong says. Through family information sessions, email communication, and cohort discussions, she focuses on how GOA course content is taught, how the difficulty of a GOA course compares to those at BCIS, and how students can set themselves up for success.
Barnhart has seen the impact of this firsthand: “Parent and student interest in GOA has increased because CongCong articulately explains GOA learning through her own stories that inspire in ways that an adult describing the program simply cannot,” Barnhart says. Because CongCong can present concrete examples from her GOA coursework to illustrate the student experience — such as her Global Capstone project and Global Learning certificate — and does so bilingually, “students and families have gained a deeper understanding of the day-to-day life of a GOA student [as well as] the value of GOA learning experiences to deepen self-awareness.”
Barnhart points to a recent family information session as a clear example. Co-designed and led by CongCong, the session intentionally centered the student perspective. CongCong spent most of the time sharing what families most needed to understand about GOA and fielding questions about course structure, assessment practices, and overall value. Barnhart notes, “It was also her idea to host this session online during the evening so that families could more conveniently join and could experience an online learning experience.”
CongCong is quick to credit the support she’s received along the way: “I’m very lucky to be well-supported at school and offered a platform to share those insights.”
A screenshot during a recent family GOA information session, led by CongCong. The session intentionally centered the student perspective.
The GOA Student Ambassador Program mirrors the relationship building designed into GOA courses themselves — particularly through the importance of students supporting one another through shared experience.
While CongCong regularly works with groups of students, she also helps students one-on-one. When asked about a rewarding experience, she describes speaking with a student who was deciding between two courses, one of which she had taken herself. By offering an honest perspective on how each course might support the student’s goals, she helped him make a confident choice. “It felt good to be connected with likeminded people and to have the ability to significantly impact their academic life,” she says.
This kind of mentorship prioritizes representation and connection with someone who understands students’ questions, pressures, and aspirations.
CongCong has already found that her experience as a Student Ambassador continues to evolve. As her own student journey with GOA deepens, she says she’s had to work harder to support students who are just starting out with GOA. Listening closely to peers and aggregating their perspectives has become an important part of ensuring that a range of experiences is represented.
With the addition of GOA’s new AP courses, Barnhart says, BCIS is excited to offer online AP courses for the first time next year. For CongCong, this has added a new layer of curiosity and possibility — she’s considering taking an AP course through GOA herself, depending on how her schedule comes together. She says that while students haven’t yet begun asking her detailed questions, “we’ve had it introduced as a very enticing opportunity that I think will garner more discourse later on.”
That sense of anticipation speaks to the strength of the GOA Student Ambassador Program at BCIS. As new opportunities open, students like CongCong are positioned to help their peers think through what those choices might mean for their goals, interests, and growth.
Student Ambassadors demonstrate what’s possible when schools trust students with meaningful responsibility. “We are excited to see GOA enrollment grow and expand,” says Barnhart citing the impact having a Student Ambassador has made to their GOA program as a whole. “We have been proud of how robust our GOA cohort is in only our second year as a member school.”
CongCong echoes that sentiment: “I’m very glad that our school’s Student Ambassador role isn’t just a title, but is equally fitted with engaging opportunities like leading student discussion, small group conversations, and outreach to the community. There are many chances to take initiative here.”
Through communication, mentorship, and representation, GOA Student Ambassadors shape their peers' learning experiences and help create communities of support at their schools.
As Communications Manager, Lynae supports the needs of GOA’s Engagement team, current and prospective member schools, customer support, and more. Prior to joining GOA, Lynae worked as the digital content manager for the University of Georgia’s Auxiliary Services marketing and communications department. After graduating with a bachelor’s in journalism from Indiana University in 2012, Lynae worked in editorial for Bloomington-based publications Limestone Post Magazine, where she is currently Co-Vice President on the Board of Directors, and Bloom Magazine. Currently living in Athens, Georgia, with her wife and daughter, Lynae enjoys seeing friends, spending time near any body of water, painting by numbers, baking, and catching up on her favorite shows and movies.
GOA is a nonprofit learning organization that reimagines learning to empower students and educators worldwide. In partnership with our global network of 150 schools, we provide interactive, relationship-driven courses, expert resources, and innovative thinking that help to expand and elevate academic programs. Together, we help students and educators become open to the extraordinary.
Follow us on LinkedIn for the latest learning opportunities and news. Sign up for GOA Insights, our newsletter focused on innovative ideas and best practices for the future of learning. Become a Member School.
The GOA Student Ambassador Program is a powerful initiative that enhances student leadership, fosters peer support, and amplifies student voices. By sharing their stories, supporting their peers, and continually developing their collaborative skills, GOA Student Ambassadors make a significant impact in their school communities and at GOA.
Learn how Pinewood AIS and GOA are creating personalized, future-ready learning pathways that spark curiosity, build global connection, and expand opportunity for every student.
Through a community‑driven process and partnership with GOA, Berkeley Carroll School developed its Portrait of a Learner—a shared vision built on curiosity, empathy, resilience, and discernment that now guides teaching, learning, and school culture.
Be a part of what's next
Connect with us
