Published: March 26, 2009 01:17 pm      

Students exchange schools for a day

BY ALLISON KAKABAR

FOREST HILLS JUNIOR

Forest Hills High School is participating in a student-exchange program.

No, they’re not traveling to foreign countries, but those involved in Student Government are traveling to other school districts to experience what it would be like to attend another school for a day.

“A few years ago, we did a Student Council exchange with Central Cambria, and it was well-received,” said Sally Nixon, student council adviser.

“This year, high school Principal Edwin Bowser wanted to start this as part of Student Government,” she said.

“He approached the Cambria County Secondary Principals Association with the idea and the exchange began.”

However, getting this program up and running wasn’t easy.

The committee had to develop letters of participation, contracts, policies and general information descriptive of the initiative.

April Smith, junior class adviser, and a group of students developed invitation letters to send to all principals.

Bill Marshall, principal of Penn Cambria High School and president of Cambria County Secondary Principals Association, also assisted.

After all was said and done, eight schools wanted to participate – Bishop Carroll, Central Cambria, Ferndale, Forest Hills, Northern Cambria, Portage and Richland.

The program waiver explains that three students will visit a cooperating school on a specific Friday, and then on the following Friday, exchange students will visit the host school from the previous week.

Visiting students will shadow student council officers and attend their classes.

During free time, students are also encouraged to ask questions about the school they are visiting.

“This endeavor will provide students with the opportunity to experience and gain new perspectives of school operations, curriculum, and other interesting highlights associated with that particular high school,” Bowser said.

Students involved have also responded positively to this program, and many expressed that they would get involved again.

“I would participate again because it was a very fun learning experience,” said Kelsey Deitle, a junior at Forest Hills High School who participated in an exchange with Portage.

“Not only did it instill new ideas into my head about how to change things in the school, but I also made some new friends,” she said.

Nixon said student council is hoping to make this a yearly project for Student Governments.