Chesham Park students forge international friendships

At the beginning of October eight students from the school took part in the launch of the project, entitled Open Minds, Open Borders, in Poland. Along with students from Slovinia and Germany, they stayed as guests in the homes of Polish students in Koluszki.
In the three days the participating students produced information booklets, a cultural calendar, learnt new languages and established links for their school.
Charlotte Stock, who is co-ordinating the project, said: "A lot of them got an immense amount of confidence because they were put into hosts' houses and had to fumble their way though.
"They found different ways of expressing themselves using different sorts of mediums.
"There was a real buzz from meeting culturally new people and a renewed outlook on those who live across the channel from us."
The project is funded by the British Council and the EU and next year the school will make trips to Germany and Slovina before hosting the final stage of the project in 2010.
As part of their research for the project, students will be studying the impact of the Second World War on the surrounding community and gathering accounts of people's experience.
They are keen to compile a report that reflects every group within the community and are especially looking for people from the other participating countries who live in the area.
Miss Stock said: "We want to find out what we have go in common, good or bad."
If you can help the school with the project then call 01494 782066 or email cstock@bucksglf.org.uk.