French & German Exchange Students

On October 20th we officially welcomed 7 new friends from France: Cassandre, Alicia, Linda, Zoé, Léa, Mélanie and Cassandra, and 6 new friends from Germany: Mai-Anh, Laura, Hannah, Miriam, Ellen, Lea!  They will be staying with host families for the next two weeks and experiencing life as a Padua Academy student.

Field Trips:

Our French and German exchange students went on field trips to New York City and Washington, D.C. during their visit.  Many host families have also taken their exchange students on day trips to local attractions.


Studying the Holocaust: German and American Ways of Seeing:

Padua students welcomed Mrs. Barbara Kämper and the six German visitors for an extended program on German youth resistance to the Nazi Third Reich. Students watched excerpts from a German drama about the White Rose, a group that secretly distributed anti-Nazi leaflets. After students read and reacted to one of the leaflets, Mrs. Kämper introduced a discussion on German Holocaust memorials.The program ended with students exchanging perspectives on the study of the Holocaust both in Germany and in the United States.


Opportunity to Rekindle Language:

For our Social Studies Department Co-Chair, Colleen Hall, our German exchange has given her an opportunity to reconnect with speaking German after more than 20 years! Dr. Hall took German all through high school (Upper Moreland HS class of 2000), but didn't get to speak it again until her grad school language proficiency exam in 2008. Then, there was another "drought" period when she didn't speak German. Two summers ago (2022), Dr. Hall decided to practice with the DuoLingo App. The App has been helpful to refresh her memory and expand her vocabulary and speaking ability. Yet, it doesn't compare to speaking German with an actual person. Dr. Hall stated, "Frau Barbara Kämper has been so kind to help me practice every time I see her! This experience has rekindled my love for the language, and I am considering starting a German language and culture activity/club next school year."


Danke Schön, Merci Beaucoup ... THANK YOU!

Our gratitude to all who helped make our French and German exchange program a success, especially Mrs. Jennifer Vintigni who oversaw the exchange.  Teachers welcomed French & German Exchange students into their classes and invited Barbara Kämper in to observe, host families welcomed them into their homes and students welcomed at school and beyond.  Both groups have arrived safely back in Europe and had a wonderful time here!
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Spirituality. Scholarship. Service. Sisterhood.