There is no question that Oak Hill Academy has historically benefitted greatly from having a strong international presence on campus. As Dr. Groves, President of Oak Hill, likes to point out each May at our graduation ceremony, “The world comes to Mouth of Wilson, Virginia—a tiny spot in the Highlands of Southwestern Virginia —and we are better for it.”
The diversity that this builds into our community is an invaluable part of the boarding school experience for our students. As alumna Leona Romeo’s story shows us, this benefit goes in both directions.
For international students, there are several significant opportunities to studying in the United States. There are the cultural insights and experiences to be had living in such a close-knit community; the growth one experiences while adjusting to the US-style of education; and the cultural intelligence and independence one develops in studying so far from home.
Leona’s Oak Hill story begins in the Caribbean nation of Sint Maarten, a small constituent country of The Netherlands. There, she dreamed of broadening her horizons beyond her native borders.
Like so many of Oak Hill’s international students, Leona discovered OHA from word of mouth. Her cousins, seeking a safe, strong community that offered a very personalized education opportunity, had transferred to Oak Hill Academy from another US boarding school. This made it easier for Leona to convince her mom to help support her dream of exploring the outside world.
For Leona, the excitement and adventure of being away from her parents, learning to be independent, and experiencing a new culture was balanced by a fear of the unknown. Being from such a culturally, educationally, and racially different environment, she was understandably nervous about how she might be received.
But her fears were unfounded: Oak Hill’s rural location and small size helped her feel like part of the community almost immediately.
“To be honest, I felt welcomed,” says Leona. “I felt like it was family. I felt like everyone cared, so it wasn’t as difficult for me to adjust to everyone and everything as I imagined. We only had each other. I remember that.”
Despite all the changes, there was one constant source of comfort: Oak Hill Academy has a very inclusive approach. Although Oak Hill is a Baptist boarding school, we’ve historically had students from all faith backgrounds. For some students, this represents a new dynamic—and is the first exposure to Church attendance for many of them. For these students, we are planting seeds of spirituality and consideration of their relationship with God.
For Leona, this aspect of our school gave her and her family added confidence in choosing to study here. As she explains, she remembers drawing comfort from this aspect of Oak Hill Academy. “When it comes to the Christian aspect of Oak Hill, I came from a religious Baptist background. So, for me, it just helped me to consistently stay in contact or in tune with my beliefs and the way that I was brought up.”
Leona points to the confidence gained from making the big move to Oak Hill Academy from Sint Maarten as being the catalyst for choosing to continue her college studies in the U.S. She decided to follow her passion for people by studying political science. She attended Albright College and eventually settled in Adelphia University, outside of New York City. After graduation, Leona had an opportunity to study in The Netherlands to pursue her master’s degree in international relations—something in which her personal experiences had given a strong foundation.
Upon completing her studies, Leona has led a successful professional life. She returned to Sint Maarten, using her experiences to fuel her contributions to helping the people of her small country. Starting in a Civil Service department management position, Leona quickly made a name for herself as a can-do community leader. Not long after, the challenging political party identified her as a leading candidate for national politics.
Originally tapped for the Minister of Justice office, Leona’s international background and approach to people ultimately made her a great option to run for Prime Minister of Sint Maarten. As she explains, she is not a politician, but the political party recognized her strengths and reputation with the people of Sint Maarten. “That’s how the cards were played, and I became Prime Minister in January of 2018, right after Hurricane Irma—the worst in 22 years—had caused so much damage to Sint Maarten.” Her focus on economic recovery and work with The World Bank would be a legacy of her time in office.
After serving roles as a policy advisor and later in the Ministry of Health, Leona now leads the Temporary Working Organization, an important economic development agency for the country. In this role, she is the main liaison between Sint Maarten and The Netherlands, working toward economic and employment progress for her country.
Leona traces the foundation for this life of international service back to her time at Oak Hill: “Coming from a small, 36 square miles country, to a huge state like Virginia—I would say understanding the opportunity that I was given instilled a sense of gratitude in me.”
The perspective she gained in taking the chance to experience something totally new has had lasting effects. She continues, “Sometimes you have to reflect back and say, ‘Hey, how many things you been able to experience that others haven’t done?’ [In Sint Maarten], attending boarding school in the U.S. has a certain type of prestige.”
Leona also points to how attending Oak Hill Academy has directly influenced her worldview. In coming to study in the U.S. in the 1980s, Leona was told to expect to experience elements of racism. But Oak Hill proved to be more welcoming than anyone expected. “I remember the small but strong community at Oak Hill. You really felt like part of the team, and I can say my presence never felt unwelcomed. I never felt discriminated, never not included. And that is the weirdest thing: I was told coming to the U.S., especially a very rural part of the country, to expect some uncomfortable feelings. Not at Oak Hill. And it really has allowed me to ignore stereotypes I’ve encountered in my life.”
For many international students, attending boarding school in the U.S. is a doorway to understanding the world and finding a place within it. Since coming to Oak Hill Academy as a 14-year old girl, Leona grown into a woman with a life of service and international impact.
She gives a lot of credit to her time at Oak Hill Academy: “If I had to do it over again, I would do it over again. That was one of the best experiences for me, and I think it helped mold me to the person that I am today: accepting everyone, not stereotyping. It showed me that wherever you are, you can find people that love you.”