Teens, parents invited to learn more about CA’s 2014 Sister Cities Exchange program

Parents and teens interested in learning about the annual summer Sister Cities High School Exchange program are invited to attend one of four informational sessions hosted by Columbia Association (CA).
 
The sessions will take place at CA Headquarters, located at 10221 Wincopin Circle in downtown Columbia, on Tues, Oct. 29; Wed,Tues, Nov. 12; Mon, Dec. 9; and Thurs, Jan. 16. All are scheduled to be held from 7 to 8 p.m. Each session will include teen and parent alumni of the program, as well as Laura Smit, program manager for CA’s international exchange and multicultural programs, all of whom will speak and answer questions about the month-long program.
 
Teen participants spend approximately two weeks of cultural and linguistic immersion during the summer in one of Columbia’s sister cities: Cergy-Pontoise in France or Tres Cantos in Spain. During this time, they are hosted by the family of a French or Spanish student. After returning to the United States, students will then host their French/Spanish counterparts for another two weeks. Throughout the trip, there are organized group activities for the participants, both abroad and in the U.S.
 
The program fee is $700 for Columbia residents and $850 for non-Columbia residents, excluding airline tickets. Airline tickets in 2014 will range from $1,200 to $1,500 per participant. Applicants must be high school students residing in Howard County and must have completed high school level three of French or Spanish by the end of the current academic year or have the equivalent language fluency. There are excellent scholarships available for Columbia residents who qualify. The application deadline is Feb. 21. For an application (available Nov. 15 or more information, visit ColumbiaAssociation.org/TeenExchange, or contact Laura Smit at 410-715-3162 or International@ColumbiaAssociation.org.