North Penn School District in Lansdale PA is extremely fortunate to have the North Penn International Friendship Committee (IFC). The IFC is a group of citizens from the community that independently raise money to fund a student exchange program at North Penn High School.
Their goal is to promote international understanding and goodwill among the people of the world through participation in non-profit exchange programs at North Penn High School.
"The North Penn International Friendship Committee is an official US government approved exchange student sponsor. We are designated by the United States Department of State as the official organization for the Exchange Visitor Program for the North Penn School District."
Every year the IFC awards scholarships to North Penn students to spend a year abroad at host schools that have "sistered" with North Penn. North Penn has sister schools in Toulouse, France, Salzgitter, Germany, Aalen, Germany, and most recently Madrid, Spain. In turn, the IFC brings a student from each of these schools to North Penn for the year - a true one-for-one exchange.
The IFC covers all the expenses of the North Penn students participating in the exchange program including airfare, the cost of school sponsored field trips, and even spending money. The IFC is positively meticulous about every detail of the exchange program and the selection of the students and the host families to ensure the students have an exceptional and safe experience.
Additionally, the IFC will use funds they have raised to help sponsor other North Penn students to participate in exchange programs through national organizations such as the AFS (American Field Services), YFU (Youth for Understanding), and IFE (International Friendship Exchange).
Their goal is to get as many students abroad as they possibly can.
Funds are raised through two craft fairs held at North Penn High School - one in the fall just before Thanksgiving and another one in the spring. These craft fairs are HUGE undertakings with over 100 vendors per fair (carefully selected by the IFC to ensure a high quality shopping experience for the community).
We can speak from personal experience with the IFC. Our daughter Caroline is currently spending her junior year of high school at the sister school in Toulouse, France. She left at the end of August and won't be home until June. Her experience has been unbelievably positive and life-changing.
Caroline is living with a wonderful family in an apartment in downtown Toulouse; the family has really taken her in as "one of their own." Caroline has made wonderful friends at school and has an adviser Valerie who takes her out to lunch once a week to check in and makes sure all her needs are met. Valerie then reports directly back to the IFC.
Caroline is participating in a Middle Eastern orchestra and joined a rowing club for extracurricular activities.
Caroline's host family has already taken her on vacation to Istanbul and Biarritz and plans to take her to Paris, Lyon, and St. Etienne over Christmas and skiing in the Alps in February. The school (and her adviser Valerie) has planned trips to Madrid, Paris and Ireland for Caroline. She is practically fluent in French already and loving every aspect of the exchange program.
How could we or any parent offer their child this type of experience?
What the IFC has given Caroline is truly a gift that will change and shape the rest of her life.
The IFC has tirelessly been sponsoring this program for 49 years. They are passionate about what they do and how they serve the North Penn community. Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the IFC!
Here are photos from the recent Holiday Craft Fair (one of two events that makes all this possible):
Here are links to a blog Caroline has been keeping about her experience:
A North Penn Student Moves to France
The Life of the Student in France
Saturday Nights, Sunday Mornings in Toulouse
~Lisa
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Lisa - What an absolutely fabulous experience for Caroline and all the other students involved. Unbelievable that the North Penn IFC has been doing this for almost 50 years! Congratulations to the IFC and best wishes to Caroline during this once-in-a-lifetime (and life-changing) experience!!
This is truly an experience that Caroline will have with her the rest of her life. Like Chris - I can't believe this program is almost 50 years strong! Talk a but committment to young students and the international community!
Lisa, what a fantastic post. Having this kind of experiences as a young person is going to be so invaluable for your daughter. What a cool thing and to have such a great organization making it possible is wonderful. Have a great day.
Cal
Sounds like a very awesome person - one to give to a student who can experience only life at that age can bring. How great!
Sounds like a wonderful person. North Penn has been doing this event for 50 years and that is great!
Thanks everyone! Loreena and John, this is muchmore than one person; it is a whole group of dedicated citizens.
Lisa