What is Coast to Coast?
The Coast to Coast Global Issues Leadership Initiative is a signature Middle School student exchange program between four network French-American and International schools in North America, working in partnerships of two. It is an inquiry-based and student-centered, cross-age, cross-curricular, cross-school, and cross-country collaborative. The program is built around the idea that young people should engage with real‑world problems through inquiry and stewardship
Each school year, a research theme inspired by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals sets the stage; for 2025–2026, the focus will be on food. Students travel during two exchange weeks, one hosted by our partner school this year in Rhode Island and one here at home, allowing them to experience life on both coasts while working alongside their peers.
How the Program Works
Coast to Coast pairs students from each participating school. Over the course of a school year, they collaborate in person for one week and virtually to explore a chosen theme, drawing on classroom lessons, independent research, and fieldwork.
This fall, our students stay with host families in Providence at the French American School of Rhode Island while investigating local food production and distribution networks; in the spring, they reciprocate by welcoming their partners and introducing them to our community. Students will examine how human behavior impacts our food security and sustainability, and in turn, how food is essential for life. Throughout the program, they prepare an interactive final product such as a video, digital presentation, or report to showcase their findings and proposed solutions.
Building Knowledge and Character
Participating in Coast to Coast offers our students a unique blend of academic rigor, cross-cultural exchange, and personal growth opportunities. Through research, collaboration, and immersion experiences, they build skills and perspectives that extend far beyond the classroom.
- Academics – Inquiry Themes – Students research food systems by gathering data during visits and continuing the research back at our own school. They work digitally with peers from the host school when apart and side by side during exchange weeks, learning to collaboratively manage projects across time zones and in person.
- Cultural Exchange – Hosting each other allows students to experience daily life on both sides of the exchange and co‑plan activities, thereby deepening friendships and fostering cross-cultural understanding.
- Language Development – They practice French and English not only online but also at home with their hosts and during joint projects.
- Emotional Intelligence Development – Taking turns as host and guest fosters independence, resilience, and leadership. Students learn to support one another, represent their school in both roles, and develop independence by living away from home.
Developing Global Citizens
As our students immerse themselves in this year’s Coast to Coast exchange, the program empowers them to see themselves as agents of change. Through interdisciplinary research on food systems, collaboration with peers from another region, and first‑hand exposure to different communities, they gain concrete experience addressing complex issues and learn how local actions affect global challenges. By the end of the year, they will have strengthened their academic skills, formed a network of new friends, and deepened their understanding of what it means to be a global citizen.
