Facing History Students in Massachusetts and Rwanda Participate in Cultural Exchange Program

"I know I can’t take all my students to Rwanda, but I do want to find ways to make sure all my students can be world citizens.”—Teacher, TechBoston Academy

Facing History teachers and students from Hudson High School and TechBoston Academy traveled to Rwanda in July 2009. The trip, developed by Facing History and Ourselves, was part of a two-year cultural and educational exchange program funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Through the exchange, the students visit each other's countries, participate in Facing History classes on-line and in person, tour historical cultural sites, and participate in a community service project in each country. The students will gain 21 st  century skills by studying together and walking in each others' shoes. The Rwandan students will travel to the U.S. in March 2010. During this time the group will stay with families, shadow students in their schools, study the civil rights history in the U.S. and travel together to Washington D.C.

View a slideshow of student pictures.

Read an email excerpt that will transport you to the high school classroom in Rwanda. The reflection is from Karen Murphy, Facing History's director of international programs, who has been working with students and teachers in two Rwandan Facing History high schools as they prepared for the cultural exchange.   

View the blog created by a teacher at TechBoston Academy, to read updates from teachers and students, view photos, and watch video of the students' activities while in Rwanda.  

Visit the TeachBoston Academy website and their flickr page to view pictures of the students departing from Facing History and Ourselves' headquarters in Brookline, MA.