CHS students will be hosting 29 visiting students from Denmark and 10 from India Oct. 7 to Oct. 21. The visiting students will do activities with their host families and attend CHS to learn more about American culture.
The students from Denmark will arrive in Maryland Friday, Oct. 7, and stay until Wednesday, Oct. 12. The students from India will arrive Oct. 14 and leave Oct. 21.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for students to enhance their cultural experiences,” Assistant Principal Doreen Brandes said.
According to Brandes, students from the Denmark school, Alssundgymnasiet Sondberg, have been visiting schools in Frederick for many years. CHS became part of the program when the program expanded.
“I met with representatives from the school. We planned the framework for this to happen, and now it’s coming to fruition,” Brandes said.
The students from India are from the Tagore International School. Brandes and Principal Joan Benz heard about this school from a CHS student who once attended it. Brandes and Benz established this partnership with it when they visited the school in December.
While in Maryland, the visiting students will attend CHS with their host students and participate in evening activities with their host families.
“The students will probably take their visitors around Montgomery County and show them the beautiful resources we have here, like DC and Great Falls,” Brandes said. “Also, the visitors can enjoy home meals and festivities that go on in the everyday home, or participate in the religious services that the family may or may not attend.”
According to junior Sadia Demby, she is excited to meet with her visiting student and may take them to the National Harbor, the movies, or on a hike.
“I’m extremely interested in becoming a more active member of our global community and I feel that by reaching out to those who are from different countries and have different cultures, I will develop a more holistic viewpoint on life,” Demby said.
According to Brandes, after their stay with their host families, the students from India will go to NYC and the students from Denmark will go to DC to experience more of the US.
According to Brandes, she is hopeful that after they leave, the visiting students will stay connected with their host families.
“These students will have lifelong friends and contacts, and hopefully the CHS students can visit them in their home countries,” Brandes said.