LEWISTON – Thirty students, ages 11 to 14, took part in a two-week French Immersion Student Exchange program with Saint-Come Quebec from July 30 to Aug. 12.

The mission of the Franco-American Heritage Center is to preserve and pass on the traditions, customs, language and heritage of the Franco-Americans. The students lived with a French family, listened to and spoke the French language, and experienced their heritage first-hand.

Boys were paired with boys their age, and girls with girls. Each child was asked prior to the program to write a brief essay about why they wanted to take part in the program. They were asked to fill out profile sheets with their likes and dislikes, their favorite sports and activities, so the match would be more compatible.

The students and their families met in mid-June in Greenville for a get-acquainted picnic.

During the week spent here, the French students helped their partners to learn French and the English students helped with the English language. Activities included trips to Old Orchard Beach, the Maine State Museum, Funtown/Splashtown, Maine Wildlife Park and concerts at the Franco American Heritage Center.

While in Canada, the students will visit the Seven Chutes and participate in a town festival and sports activities.

Local students taking part in the program were Hunter Bishop, Joseph Bosse, Katie Bosse, Mary Caron, Alex Clark, Brianna Czarkowski, Camille Dionne, Austin Gervais, Shawna Langlois, Brady Lare, Whitney Lind, Eric Michaud and Susannah Wong.

Canadian students participating were Jessily Bedard, Marc-Antoine Blais, Delphine Bergeron, Raphael Bergeron, Kelly Drouin, Francois Lachance, Andre Lessard, Jean-Philippe Morrissette, Andreanne Nadeau-Gosselin, Myriam Paquette, Emilie Poulin, Marie-Esther Poulin, Marie-Florence Poulin, Kim Rodrigue, Tommy Rodrigue, Joannie Therrien and Adrianne Thibault-Fortin.

The Lewiston Auburn Rotary Club, the Calumet Club of Augusta and the Auburn Lewiston Rotary Club made the experience possible.