ROCKPORT — As the number of international students enrolled at Camden Hills Regional High School increases, so, too, grows the interest in sending local students and teachers abroad. On Dec. 18, the newly-established Five Town CSD International Studies Advisory Committee convened and set several goals, including the development of a funding policy to ensure equity of travel opportunities for all Camden Hills students.

Other goals include the lobbying of state and federal officials to modify a law that limits students here on a F-1 visa to just 12 months; continuing to develop exchange programs with Germany, Mexico, Spain, New Zealand and others; and possibly hiring a summer program coordinator to expand summer academic camps. Last summer, a one-week camp drew approximately 35 Chinese students to the Rockport campus, and there is the potential for another camp this coming summer. Students stayed at local homes in the area.

Other international students visiting the area included 44 students from Saitama, Japan, arriving in November; and, 15 students from Trinidad and Tobago, who were here last October.

Camden Hills Regional High School educates approximately 650 students from Appleton, Camden, Hope, Lincolnville and Rockport on its Rockport campus on Route 90. It has several cultural trips planned in 2013 and 2014 to Italy, China, Spain and France. There will also be an exchange program this coming summer and fall, with 20 Camden Hills students going to Germany in July and then receiving 20 German students here in Octover. Possibilities of exchange programs in Mexico and Gilbrator, as well as New Zealand, are being explored, now.

The committee, comprising teachers, administrators, school board members, students and parents, includes LaTanya Beck, Emma Cloyd, Marsha Dietrich, Graham Bode, Jennifer Munson, Piet Lammert, Carolin Helmholtz, Tom Gray, Eliza Hazelton, Nick Ithomitis, Elaine Nutter, Russell Holden and John Lewis. The cochairmen are Eliza Hazelton, a board member representing Rockport, and high school principal Nick Ithomitis.

The committee's charge, as outlined by the Five Towns CSD school board in October, is to redefine the vision for international cultural studies through travel and exchange programs for Camden Hills Regional High School and advise the Five Town CSD Board of Directors on matters related to student and staff international cultural opportunities and travel.

"The Committee will advise the CSD Board on the scope and scale of the program of international studies, including financing, entering into exchange programs or partnerships with schools abroad," committee minutes said.

This year, Camden Hills has nine international students from Italy, France, Brazil, Turkistan, China, Mexico, Germany and Vietnam. And, three Camden Hills students will be studying at the American Pacific University this year.

Camden Hills Regional High School has quietly been growing the number of international students attending school in Rockport, as well as sending students from Appleton, Camden, Hope, Lincolnville and Rockport abroad on various trips. Currently, however, trips and exchanges are being arranged piecemeal rather than through a predetermined plan, minutes said. Ithomitis hopes for establishing a long-term plan, "given that he will not be filling the role as principal forever and he wants to ensure that the program will survive beyond his tenure."

The school is committed to enhancing a global perspective that, "enhances education and prepares citizens for lifelong and full participation in matters of national and international interest," minutes said.

Presently, however, students are limited by federal law to attending Camden Hills for just one year, if they are in the country on a F-1 visa. An F-1 visa allows a foreign student to attend secondary school in the U.S. for just 12 months. The has been an issue for several students already who have attended Camden Hills, and have been forced to apply, and attend, other schools elsewhere to continue their U.S. education, despite the fact that they want to continue to study at Camden Hills.

Ithomitis said at the meeting that he was concerned that the school would would not be able to attract more than 10 students with the present F-1 visa restriction. He said he had written to Senator Susan Collins and has yet to hear back, minutes said.

Under discussion is the possibility of developing dual programs in China, and encouraging more teachers to go abroad to teach. The committee also emphasized that the Maine students who feel restrained by the cost of going of abroad get more opportunity to participate.

The next meeting of the committee will be held at the end of January to discuss exchange possibilities with Spain, Mexico and New Zealand.

Editorial Director Lynda Clancy can be reached at lyndaclancy@PenBayPilot.com; 706-6657.