Eight Bolles Upper School San Jose Campus students recently returned from a two-week visit to France and the Fénelon School in Clermont-Ferrand as part of the French/Latin Exchange program.
Chaperoned by Upper School language teachers Meredith Kendall and Sara Phillips-Bourass, students stayed in the homes of their French correspondents while in Clermont-Ferrand. They explored the historical center of the city, visited the Petrifying Fountains of Saint-Nectaire and the Church of Saint-Nectaire, and took in the natural beauty of many lakes and volcanoes in the region.
The group then made its way to Lyon before embarking to Paris for a whirlwind tour of the City of Light, which included excursions to the Catacombs, Luxembourg Gardens, the Palais Garnier, Château de Versailles, the Champs-Elysees, the Eiffel Tower and more. The Bulldogs flew back to Jacksonville on June 11 and look forward to hosting their French correspondents at Bolles this fall.
"The greatest thing about the exchange was being able to communicate with native speakers who were my age,” said rising senior Zoe Lieb ’23. “I learned a lot of slang and also got to experience what life is like for a French teenager!"
Kendall emphasized how profound Bolles travel programs are in reinforcing classroom knowledge and broadening understanding while also imparting real-life skills.
“Traveling is inherently educational, but magic happens when you combine enthusiastic students, expert teachers, and a team of professionals who support the group to provide an ultimate experience,” Kendall said. “Whether the Colosseum or the Eiffel Tower, it truly never gets old to see the wonder on our students’ faces when they behold, in person, what they’ve learned about in their courses at Bolles.”
Bolles French/Latin Exchange participants include:
John Baker ’25
Maggie Boyd ’23
Kyla Bullock ’24
Will Chamberlain ’23
Annie Hellman ’23
Kayleigh Kasinger ’24
Zoe Lieb ’23
Ava Rathet ’23
Phillips-Bourass and Kendall were hosted by two French teachers, Stéphanie Suchet and Muriel Lacroix. Kristin Hong, international programs coordinator and student advisor on the San Jose Campus, made all the arrangements with the Fénelon School as well as the company who coordinated the tour guides and travel.
The Bolles School has been involved in exchanges with French schools since 1990. Click here to learn more about the French/Latin Exchange program.
Original source can be found here.
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