PORTLAND — The Council on International Educational Exchange has given Deering High School scholarships totalling $45,000 to send students abroad.

Portland-based CIEE announced the scholarships on Jan. 26. Both programs, the Global Navigator Scholarship and the Girl Rising program, will send students all over the world during the summer. Students can choose from a range of subjects like language and culture, children’s rights and education, and global entrepreneurship.

Carlos Gomez, a Spanish teacher and the coordinator of the school’s International Studies Schools Network, said five to 10 students will participate in the Global Navigator program. Freshmen, sophomores and juniors can apply for one of 30 CIEE Summer High School Abroad four-week programs, and awards will be considered based on merit and need. The scholarship is for $20,000.

He said the deadline for signing up is March 1, but students could likely still be able to sign up online after that.

Christina McAnuff, director of high school study abroad program at CIEE, said up to four young women will be able to participate in Girl Rising, which is a $25,000 scholarship. Gomez said the goal is to have at least one student each from the ninth, 10th and 11th grades participate, so they can come back and share their experiences with other classes. The deadline for this program is Feb. 1.

Girl Rising is part of a three-year partnership between Deering and CIEE. Deering screened the documentary film “Girl Rising” last year and has had student panels to discuss equality.

Deering is one of 50 schools nationwide selected to participate in the Global Navigator program, and the only one in Maine. However, McAnuff said some of the scholarships will be “at-large,” meaning students from outside Deering and schools all over Maine could apply.

“We know there are deserving students in all our communities,” McAnuff said. “This is an opportunity for them as well.”

McAnuff said Deering was selected for several reasons, including its language programs and work to infuse global issues in a wide variety of subjects. She said the Global Navigator Scholarship is privately funded by donor Sheron Long. Girl Rising is funded directly by CIEE.

“Our mission is to help people prepare to live in an interconnected world,” McAnuff said.

Colin Ellis can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 123 or cellis@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @colinoellis.

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