FPD was honored to host eight exchange students from the Xiehe School in Ghaungzhou, China for a week of learning and fellowship. The students were paired with host families and students to explore the FPD campus, local Macon attractions, and a few venues in Atlanta. They participated in classes with their American peers, visited with some of FPD’s elementary students, and attended various after school events. Their week-long itinerary also included tours of Wesleyan College, Mercer University, the Indian Mounds, Coleman Hill, and the Georgia Aquarium.

The trip was part of FPD’s sister school relationship with the Xiehe School. The Xiehe School is a top tier public school in China, established over 100 years ago by Presbyterian Missionaries.  The Xiehe School already has connections with the Macon community as eight current students at Wesleyan College are graduates of their program.

The goals of the sister school agreement are to promote international and cultural understanding, develop collaborative learning experiences, and provide opportunities for contact and interaction between the school communities. A group of FPD students visited the Xiehe School during Spring Break 2016. Those students were now able to serve as hosts and reconnect with some of the friends they met on that trip to teach them more about American classrooms and culture.