A total of 19 students from Kenmore East and Kenmore West and their teachers Mr. Kunz, Mrs. Sauret, and Ms Woodruff recently traveled to Western France in a foreign exchange partnership with St. François d'Assise High School in La Roche-sur-Yon! This was a follow-up trip to St. François d'Assise High School's trip to Buffalo back in October 2024.

"Our exchange facilitates many meaningful relationships that last years after the overseas experience," Sauret said.

St. François d'Assise High School offers many academic pathways and vocational studies for approximately 2,000 students. Our Ken-Ton students experienced school life by attending classes, having a school lunch in the cafeteria, and meeting the principal and many teachers.

Outside of school, our students spent the week with their host families and visited several places. School activities included a visit to an oyster park and salt marshes at Noirmoutier, sand yachting on the beach, and a tour of a dairy farm, La Roche-sur-Yon, and of the island Ile d'Yeu. They also learned about cultural traditions, tried French food specialities, and explored the region of Pays de la Loire. A big part of the trip allowed our students to apply their French speaking skills with their host students, families, and in shops.

After spending time in La Roche-sur-Yon, students traveled to Paris where they visited the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre Museum, the Eiffel Tower, the Latin Quarter, Jardins des Tuileries and Luxembourg, and saw many other attractions such as Hopital des Invalides, Pantheon, Arc de Triomphe, the Obelisk in la Place de la Concorde and walk on the famous Avenue des Champs-Elysées.