Whitefield is excited to host 40 high school students from Lycée Galilée in Cergy, France, January 12-18. During their stay in the Atlanta area, the French students are living with Whitefield families and shadowing students in the Upper School French class while on campus.
Upper School French Teacher Kate Byars has been passionate about the idea of connecting English and French students since she met Madame Vanessa Loufoua at Smith College during her undergraduate studies. For years, they have been working together to connect students across the ocean by co-blogging (where a French student and an American student share a blog page) and writing pen pal letters. Now, their dream of connecting students in person has become a reality.
"Learning a language becomes real when you share experiences with native speakers," said Ms. Byars. "The French students will observe American life in host family homes, and Whitefield students will gain deeper knowledge and understanding of the language and culture they are learning at school."
During their visit to America, the French students will experience American high school culture by attending Whitefield classes and even some basketball games and soccer practices. They will also explore Atlanta with trips to the CNN Center, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s house, Atlanta History Center, the World of Coca-Cola, and Lenox Mall.
Visit the Whitefield French program's blog to see all the latest updates from their cultural adventure!