Harmony Dubose

Annatina Holitscher & Felyx-Luc Langlois are among the international students at NFA this year.

Students at Norwich Free Academy are getting a firsthand look at different cultures, thanks to a group of foreign exchange students who have joined the campus. Coming from countries such as Switzerland, China, Spain, and more, these students are immersing themselves in the American high school experience while sharing their own traditions, languages, and perspectives with classmates. 

The program has already sparked excitement among both visiting and local students, creating a more connected learning environment. NFA Director of Admissions Kelby Chappelle said “You’re never going to find another high school in this area that has the diversity we have. It’s just an amazing experience for our local students and also for our exchange students.” 

Foreign exchange students at NFA experience American high school life firsthand, from attending pep rallies to joining clubs and making new friends. Living in another country allows students to develop life skills, gain independence, and see the world from a new point of view.

Attending a school in a different country can be difficult to adjust to, but is not impossible. “In the beginning it was overwhelming, especially because the campus is so huge and there’s so many people here but at the same time since there’s a large amount of people here so you’re not scared you’ll stand out,” said Annatina Holitscher, an exchange student from Switzerland.

NFA always makes sure that their exchange students feel comfortable by having meetings to check in on them and organizing gatherings where all exchange students participate in recreational activities. 

Host families are a huge part of a foreign exchange student’s life. A host family opens up their home to exchange students that need a place to stay and to guarantee safety and support while in a different country. “I love my host family, they care for me, and always make sure to give me what I need. It’s amazing living with them, ” said Felyx-Luc Langlois, an exchange student from Canada.  

How do people get inspired to welcome foreign exchange students into their home? For Brian Kelly, On Track Specialist at NFA, who has previously hosted exchange students, “It was more of an emotional decision because I had a son who passed away at a young age and not that we were trying to replace him, but it just felt like it was the right thing to do to help out other kids to have a good experience at NFA and here in the United States. My son would have loved every second of it.” 

As for the continued growth and effectiveness of the exchange program, Holitscher had a recommendation for future international recruitment: “I think NFA should provide in the future the possibility of letting exchange students shadow a student before they come in, so that they can know exactly how everything works and get the opportunity to make friends before their official first day,” she said.

The foreign exchange program and community at NFA is very important to NFA itself and the town. In the future, NFA wants to further the program by the possibility of having their own staff come to sending countries for recruiting and by creating dormitories for exchange students to be closer to the campus.