Understanding Through Experience with Severn’s French Exchange Program

How Does the Exchange Program Work?

For those students interested in French language and culture, the Severn and La Croix Rouge exchange provides two ways that students can enhance their experience: by hosting a French student for a week or traveling abroad during spring break. Each year Upper School Foreign Language Chair and French teacher Ms. Rodica Townshend coordinates with Ms. Neela Riché from La Croix Rouge in Brest, France to schedule visits on either side. Working with La Croix Rouge from year to year has allowed the program to develop into the enriching experience it is today.

La Croix Rouge Students Visit Severn

Ms. Townshend works with Ms. Riché to pair visiting French students with Severn students who share similar interests and extracurricular activities. During their five day visit, Severn hosts welcome and farewell events for the students, local field trips, and an overnight trip to New York City.

For La Croix Rouge students, an annual two-week immersion program is built into their curriculum so their visit to the US is the first of several they will complete during high school. They are in the French equivalent of their sophomore year and most are traveling outside Europe for the first time. While here, they get a glimpse into the lives of American teenagers, spending time in class and around campus, going on field trips, and attending games and other events with their host families.

The Exchange: Severn Spring Break in France

Since the start of the program over ten years ago, for each La Croix Rouge visit to Severn, we typically send a group of our students for a week-long stay with French families in Brest coupled with a two-night stay in Paris. Their visit follows a similar format; they are paired with host families, spend time at La Croix Rouge and take field trips to see the sights while abroad.

In the US, our students may or may not have any opportunity speak French with native speakers. Although many feel culture shock to be in a country where English is not the primary language, with each day they spend abroad, they grow more excited about using French and often return with a newfound commitment to extend their language study in college.

“With very few exceptions most of the kids that have traveled with me continue to take French in college. And the process of travel matures them. They are immersed in a different culture and make connections with people they never would have met. It’s a culturally important experience for them.” — Ms. Rodica Townshend

Their field trip to see the Normandy American Cemetery and World War II Memorial is a particularly significant experience. Students are often moved to tears after hearing the stories of American troops that died overseas in WWII while the American flag flies overhead.

Global Awareness Comes From Real Experience

The world in which we live grows smaller by the day. It’s not uncommon for people to connect with one another across time zones and cultural boundaries. It’s important for Severn students to not only learn about other cultures in class, but to see and learn first-hand from real people around the world. Whether that means hosting a student and traveling abroad through the language exchange program, learning about the immigration experience from new US citizens or spending a day sharing our school with student performers from half a world away, our students embrace cultural diversity with curiosity, enthusiasm and respect.

Continuing to embrace our mission of diversity, the exchange programs provide a platform for our community to be inclusive of cultures from around the world. In addition to the French exchange, we also have an Italian exchange with Istituto Lunardi in Bresia, Italy for students interested in Italian language and culture. If you would like to learn more about Severn language exchange programs, contact Exchange Program Coordinator Mr. Bob Campuzano.