Grade 11 students, Brittani Duxbury and Kennedy Huffman-Baillargeon are so outgoing they have to leave their own provinces to see what their country has to offer.
The two students are taking part in a provincially funded student exchange programs exclusively offered to Grade 11 students.
Duxbury is a Grade 11 Moose Jaw student at Central Collegiate, and Huffman-Baillargeon (a student from Quebec City) is staying with her for another month; then they will reverse the roles and it will be Duxbury in new surroundings in the new year.
“My parents would always discuss it when I was younger, and how important it is to discover new cultures,” Duxbury told the Times-Herald on how she first became interested in becoming an exchange student. “They wanted me to explore, and I’ll also get to learn and practice a language.”
Duxbury is taking part in the provincial government’s student exchange program between Saskatchewan and Quebec, exclusively for grade 11 students. A student from each province stays with the other student in their native province for three months, and then follows suit in the others respected home.
“According to the program they can have zero skills,” Central Collegiate vice principal Stephane Gauvin said when asked if students need to already be quite proficient in french to participate.
Gauvin said he has witnessed vast improvements with language skills from students who have participated in the program in the past. “Being able to immerse yourself is still the best way to learn a language and it really benefits students in all areas.”
“Students are also gaining social skills and sometimes build lifelong friendships,” Gauvin offered on the extra benefits found in student exchange programs.
Huffman-Baillargeon(who was born in British Columbia) agreed with her Saskatchewan vice principal. “I wanted to see more of the west and work on my independence, I have to do more on my own and those skills will help me when I prepare to graduate.
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