It was a first when students at Chattahoochee High welcomed teens from France for 12 days of a cultural exchange on multiple levels.
It was the first time the Johns Creek school opened its doors to French students, many of whom had never attended a traditional American school. It was also the first time they lived with an American family. For many of the host students, the program presents the first chance they’ll have to visit France when they head there in the spring to meet up again with their new friends.
Chattahoochee French teacher Ellen Walter introduced the program organized through the Forum Language Experience, an educational travel company that aims to develop long-term cultural exchange partnerships between schools in the U.S. and Europe. Not only did her students have the chance to learn the language from native speakers, they also spent the day with them for an immersive experience that will be repeated when the local group travels to France next year.
“This program is a little bit different from the usual tour because when our students go in March, they will live with a French family and have to speak the language,” she said. “They’ll go to Versailles and stay with the same students they’re hosting. And they’ll attend school with those French students.”
All of the French and Fulton students filled out profiles and were matched based on interests and hobbies. Weeks before they arrived, the French speakers were on social media networks and exchanging information with their American hosts. The 18 French teens between the ages of 15 and 17 developed an understanding of what American high school is like by attending classes and after-school activities, said Walter.
“We have more than 40 countries represented in our school, so not every American family is what you see in the movies or on TV,” said Walter. “So it was really cool for them to see what some American families do look like.”
For 16-year-old Bailey Kicklighter, whose family was among those who welcomed the travelers into their homes, spending almost two weeks with a new French friend meant explaining and comparing cultural differences.
“He was surprised at how we get to drive to school because they don’t get licenses until later, and I was surprised by that,” she said. “I was also surprised that their school days are a lot longer, and they go to school on Saturdays. We went to an Atlanta United game, and he thought it was interesting that our stadiums are also used for concerts.”
The trip to France in March will be Kicklighter’s first visit to the country whose language she admires.
“I think it’s a very beautiful language, and I took it because it was different,” she said. “I’ve been studying for six years and am now in the AP class. I signed up for the exchange because I thought it would be a cool opportunity to visit France and see how schools work there. I’m also excited to see all the different sites.”
Information about Chattahoochee High is online at fultonschools.org/chattahoocheehs. Learn more about the exchange program at forumlanguageexperience.com.
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Each week we look at programs, projects and successful endeavors at area schools, from pre-K to grad school. To suggest a story, contact H.M. Cauley at hm_cauley@yahoo.com or 770-744-3042.
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