Newtown High School and members of the Newtown International Center for Education (NICE) welcomed 23 students and two teachers visiting with a delegation from Lycée Alain, Newtown’s sister school in France, on Wednesday, March 25.

The delegation arrived in the country just a few hours before entering the high school’s cafetorium, where host families through NICE, NICE members, and NHS teachers were waiting to greet the students and teachers.

During their visit, delegation members will be staying with host families, and a number of host families shared plans for the stay while they waited for their delegate or delegates to arrive. Those plans included bringing delegates for a tour of downtown Bethel, holding gatherings with friends and other delegates, eating “Flagpole” sandwiches at the Newtown General Store, shopping at the mall, and bowling.

Along with plans made by the host families, the delegates also had an itinerary to follow during their visit to Newtown. Planned events included the delegates shadowing NHS students, silk screening T-shirts in the school’s graphics department, visiting Yale University, visiting New York City, and attending a closing ceremony.

 The delegation’s stay in Newtown lasted from March 25 to April 1.

For the first time, according to NICE Parent Community Organization (NICE PCO) President Lisa Berger, a delegation’s visit also coincided with the high school’s junior prom. Visiting students were encouraged to attend the junior prom, which was held on Friday, March 27, at Danbury’s Amber Room, and some host families planned to bring girls for hair, make up, and nail appointments before the event.

“They are so excited,” said Jen Davidson, NICE manager of communications, the Europe/France project co-manager, about how the French students were responding to the news they would attend a prom.

When the delegation members arrived in the cafetorium, Ms Davidson welcomed them on the stage and introduced them one-by-one to their host families.