Students in Grand Central Park, New York

What a trip! What an exchnage partnership Coláiste Chiaráin and Spring-Ford High School have established! Our 4th year students together with Mr Shinners and Mr Power returned last week after two fantastic weeks with their host students from Spring-Ford High School in Limerick, USA. Their experience was one that they'll never forget. The exchange partnership not only saw our students experience life as a student at Spring-Ford High School but they also sampled the culture and heritage of the USA. They visited major cities including Washington D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, Reading and of course New York, They also took into the unique Lancaster area - home of the Amish. Click on the link below to get a taste of their travels and experiences.

SUNDAY 30TH MARCH

The Lincoln Memorial

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 The Vietnam Memorial

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 The White House

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  The Korean War Memorial

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 Capitol Hill

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 The Washington Monument

 All Smiles in the pool!

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MONDAY 31ST MARCH

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Today students said farewell to Washington D.C. and took the short bus journey to the city of Baltimore
where they visited the National Aquarium Centre. This was a fantastic opportunity for our students to see the many wonders of the Ocean and take in the amazing Dolphin show. After lunch in the Hot Rock Cafe, students were given a chance to do some worthwhile shopping along the harbour area.

Baltimore

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The National Aquariun, Baltimore

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TUESDAY 1ST APRIL

Students were greeted to a traditonal American welcome early this morning by Mr Pat Nugent, Principal and Mrs Marsha Hurda, Superintendant. This was followed by a presentation made by Stephen Butler, who presented Mr Nugent with a hurley which was engraved with a commemorative plague. Students were then treated with a traditional American breakfast. Following breakfast, it was off to Ms Murgia's television studio where our students from Spring-Ford recorded our video greetings. These will be uploaded to our website very soon. A tour of the school followed where students were particulary impressed with the sports gymnasium, the sports arena (which holds over 2000 spectators) and the auditorium which would give the UCH a run for it's money. After lunch, students hit the gymnasium and the sports fields where they teamed up with their Spring-Ford counterparts and sampled some baseball and American Football. All in all, a fantastic day. 

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Students with Mr Pat Nugent, Principal (left) and Mrs Marsha Hurda, Superintendant

Stephen Butler presents Mr Nugent with a commemorative hurley

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Robbie Hannan gets tries his hand at TV production

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Ms Cheryl Murgia, TV Production Teacher, with Mr Shinners and Mr Power

Laura Downes gets stuck in during Art class

"I'm no Van Gough!"

Students with the Spring-Ford Art Class - Seniors

Spring-Ford High School Sports Hall

Spring-Ford High School Auditorium

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Gymnasium

Wrestling Demonstration

Stephen Butler gets padded up!

"Blue...Twenty-two...Hut!

Robbie Hannon and Jamie Flood with American Footballers from Spring-Ford High School

American Football Pitch - Home of the Spring-Ford Rams

Mr Power soaks up the atmosphere pitchside

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  WEDNESDAY 1ST APRIL

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Students spent the morning shadowing the Spring-Ford students in classes. This also included a musical concert performed by the school operatic choir and band. It was also the day when our students would lead an Irish lesson followed by a visit to Ursinus College in the Limerick District. It's all action from here onwards - students will hit the zip line as part of the Spring Mountain Canopy Tour.

 Choir Performance

High School Band Concert

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Our students enjoy the dramatic arts!

 Conor Sheehan leads a lesson as gaeilge

 Students visit Ursinus College

Christine Shortt tests out the Sports Arena in Ursinus College

 "Feel the love!"

THURSDAY 2ND APRIL

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Today students spent the morning shadowing their Spring-Ford host students in their timetabled lessons.
This was followed by a cultural presentation where each of our students gave a presentation on various aspects of Irish culture, traditions and identity in front of a large contingent of Spring-Ford students. This was followed by a movie and pizza on the school campus.

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Mr Power speaks to students of Spring-Ford High during the Irish Culture Evening

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 Laura Collins spoke about Limerick

Christine Shortt and Marie Enright spoke about Coláiste Chiaráin

Natalie Begley and Laura Downes spoke about the Irish Education System

Conor Sheehan and Stephen Butler gave a lesson on Irish History

Jamie Flood spoke about Irish Culture

Jessica Murphy and Aoife O'Neille spoke about Irish music and film

Robbie Hannan and Niamh Coleman spoke about Irish sport

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FRIDAY 3RD APRIL

Students began the day with a visit to Brooke Elementary School in Spring-Ford. They then travelled to the Valley Forge National Park where they were given a detailed insight into key events of the American War of Independence and the significance of Valley Forge during the war. This was followed by by a visit to the famous King of Prussia mall (2nd largest in USA)for the long-awaited retail therapy.

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Students receive a history lesson about Limerick, USA, at Brooke Elementary

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Mr Shinners shows off his Dodgeball skills at Brooke Elementary!

Conor Sheehan checks out George Washington's huts at Valley Forge

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SATURDAY 4TH ARPIL

Saturday was a very busy day for our students. The day started early with breakfast "American Style" at the reknowned Shady Maples. Then, it was off to the Lancaster area where students got a first hand look at the Amish people and their way of life. This was a fantastic opportunity for students to sample the foods and crafts produced by this unique group of people. From Lancaster, the bus headed east to Hearsey's factory, home of America's most popular chocolate.

The Amish mode of transport

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Mr Power was very impressed with the Amish mousepad

Students at Hearsey's Chocolate World

Monday is a busty day once more - it's back to the Spring-Ford district where students will visit the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade centres. This will be followed by a morning of shadowing where students will attend the classes of their fellow exchange students. Later, students attend a presentation on Groun Zero, New York. Then, it's off to the sports arena where students will sample some Lacrosse.

Mr Shinners and our students who visited the 5th and 6th Grade Centre at Spring-Ford

TUESDAY 7TH APRIL

Our students visited various elementary schools in the Spring-Ford District including Evans Elementary School. Later that evening, our students travelled to nearby Reading in Pennslyvania to take in a Minor League baseball game.

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Conor Sheehan reads to students at Upper Providence Elementary, Spring-Ford

Stephen Butler reads to students at Upper Providence Elementary, Spring-Ford

Stephen Butler, Conor Sheehan with Mr Shinners and the students from Upper Providence

Students from Evan's Elementary School entertained us with music and song  during our visit

Home of the Reading Phillies

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Lets play ball!

Fast ball!

Conor Sheehan made the most of his time at Reading

WEDNESDAY 8TH APRIL

Philadelphia here we come! Home of Rocky! After the short 45 minute bust trip, our students set foot on America's original capital - the city where it all began - The First Continental Congress, The Second Continental Congress, the signing of the Declaration of Independence and much more. Students took in the key historical sites at the National Independence Park including Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Lunch took place at Gino's and Pat's - home of the famous Phillie Chesse Steak! They also visited City Hall, the Comcast Centre (Philadephia's Tallest Skyscraper) and the Benjamin Franklin Centre. The day was ended with dinner at California Tortilla in Limerick.

The impressive Philadelphia sklyine

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The Comcast Centre - Philadelphia's Tallest Skyscraper standing at 297 metres

The impressive LCD screen in the main lobby of the Camcast Centre

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Students race up the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum - Rocky Style!!!

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Stephen "The Charm" Butler - our very own Rocky!

The Rocky Monument

Students at Liberty Hall

Mr Power and the Liberty Bell

Liberty Hall

THURSDAY 9TH APRIL

Free day.

FRIDAY 10TH APRIL

What a day this was! Students from both schools hit the Big Apple in style! This was a fantastic experience fro our students as they took in key sites including Times Square, the Empire State Building, the Rockerfeller Tower and Plaza, and much more.

Students in Times Square, NY

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Mr Power eye-ups the Empire State Building

Come on the Mets!

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Smile! Outside "Ripley's Believe it or Not"

The gang in Grand Central Park

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Niamh Coleman and Aoife O'Neill take in the New Jersey Skyline

Conor Sheehan - Hudson River harbour

Students in the observation centre at Ground Zero

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Students at the Rockerfeller Builidng, NY

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Christine Shortt, Robbie Hannan and Marie Enright enjoy the views of New York City from the top of the Rockerfeller Building

SATURDAY 11TH APRIL

Visit the Statue of Liberty and Eillis Island Museum. Depart for Ireland from JFK Airport.