WTHS welcomes foreign exchange students from Northern France

Seven students from Wingles, France, are attending class with hosts students at Washington Township High School

Seven students from the Lycee General Voltaire Wingles School in Wingles, France, have taken up residence in homes across Washington Township and are attending class with host students at Washington Township High School this week. The visit is part of a foreign exchange program sponsored by Carousel, Inc. A total of 48 French students came to the United States as part of the tour, with other students living with host families at Highland Regional High School (Blackwood) and Arthur P. Schalick High School (Pittsgrove).

The exchange students — Anais DeDecker, Thomas Decq, Bastien Duez, Lina Touchi, Lea Chasseur, Clemence Delburgue and Sarah Blanchard, with chaperone Marie Agnes Caron — arrived in Washington Township on Monday evening, where they met their hosts. On Tuesday morning, they came to school with the WTHS students and enjoyed a breakfast reception in the instructional media center during first period. Then, they joined their host students and shadowed them during the school day. The French students will return to WTHS on Friday and shadow their hosts again, as the school prepares for Homecoming activities that afternoon and evening. DeDecker was already into the homecoming spirit on Tuesday, sporting a button on her backpack touting her host Kylie Fischer’s homecoming court campaign.

During their visit to the U.S., the students will take excursions into Philadelphia, New York City and Washington, D.C. They return to France on Tuesday, Oct. 24.

Lycee General Voltaire Wingles School is located in Northern France, with students coming from the towns of Wingles, Bauvin and Vendin Le Vieil. The students range in age from 14 to 17. They had to write about themselves in their applications to the program, discussing their hobbies and interests, and why they wanted to visit the U.S. With their host families, they hope to learn more about daily life in America, as well as how the school day can be different.

The Washington Township host students will have the opportunity to visit France and spend time with their guests’ family in the summer of 2018. The host students include: Kylie Fischer, Brielle Hina, Brianna Myers, Chloe Pecheux, Morgan Smith, Macy Trout and Shreenithi Venkataraman.