What is the Network Exchange? And Why Am I Doing It?

    To start this first blog post, I'd like to thank Mr. Scanlan and all the other administrators at St. Benedicts for allowing me to take this opportunity. I'd like to thank Mrs. Lenahan for allowing me to miss two weeks of her cooking class to be here. And I would also like to thank Mrs. Kranz and Ms. Mueller for allowing me to slightly mess up group so I could work on my Network projects 😅.  I would also like to thank all administrators from Germantown Friends who have worked closely with Mr. Scanlan and I to make this exchange possible.  Thank you for also making me an entire schedule and thank you to the faculty that will teach me during my time in Philadelphia. Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank my host family. Without your help, this exchange would not have happened. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

    Now, what is the Network Exchange? To talk about it, we must know what the Network of Complementary Schools is. The Network is a group of schools are unique in character and hold traditions, values, and beliefs that one would not see at a regular private school. The Network Exchange serves the purpose of allowing a student to experience another school that is as unique as their own. Due to the number of schools belonging to the Network there is a wide range of things a student can experience. The end goal of the Network is to both provide students with a unique experience and opportunity but to also take them out of their comfort zone and face a culture different from their own.  

    Why am I doing it? I have always been interested in traveling and different cultures. I believe the fulfillment of my life will be reach when I travel the world and experience as many different cultures as I am able to. The Network provides me exactly that. I will be immersed in something completely different than I am used and I find that extremely valuable. When I first learned of this opportunity from Mr. Scanlan it seemed as if this was something just for me and I quickly jumped on it. I hope through my experience I will be able to make this program more known and also encourage more students from my school to take this opportunity.  

Thank you again everyone,

Kalvin