(Pictured Principal Liz Noonan, Onur Guler, Lyam Haselman, Guidance Director Katherine Welch, and Host Mom/International Exchange Coordinator Jennifer Haselman)
BFA Fairfax has received national recognition for excellence in global education from EF High School Exchange Year, the leader in high school exchange.
The EF High School Exchange Year Global Education Excellence Award is presented annually to high schools that demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to international understanding and global awareness. BFA Fairfax was one of a select group of high schools and districts recognized across the United States for the 2022-2023 school year.
BFA Fairfax has shown an outstanding commitment to offering a global education,” said Bob Fredette, President of EF High School Exchange Year. “By welcoming exchange students into the classrooms, BFA Fairfax has created new and unique learning opportunities for not just the exchange student, but for the American students and faculty as well."
This year, BFA Fairfax welcomed Onur from Norway an EF High School Exchange Year exchange student. Not only was he accepted into the school, but he became an integral part of the school's community, academic rigor, and extracurricular life and immersed himself and got involved in the greater community in the exchange experience.
“My experience at BFA Fairfax has been amazing,” said EF student Onur from Norway. "I was able to participate in Basketball, Wrestling, and Lacrosse which is something I would not have had the experience of trying back home. One of the things I appreciate most about my experience at BFA Fairfax is how the teachers were always willing to help me, how the coaches invested their time in us athletes and I felt accepted and welcomed into BFA Fairfax quickly gaining new friends and gaining memorable experiences. I will never forget my time in Fairfax with my host family the Haselman’s (my host dad Chris, my host mom Jennifer, and my host brothers Logan and Lyam). I am forever grateful for their generosity, belief in me, the kindness they continually offered, and the love always given as another family member in our exchange together and I know I will always be welcome here and I hope to have them visit me and my mom in Norway and to show them Turkey one day too.”
Chris and Jennifer Haselman are also the Local EF Exchange Coordinators and they add, "We wish to immensely thank BFA Fairfax for welcoming this year's student Onur from around the globe. The community and Onur shared a very worthy experience thanks to the generosity, dedication and commitment of BFA Fairfax administration Principal Noonan, Guidance Director Welch, all of the teachers who put their heart into partnering in exchange daily, the students who embraced diversity and the fantastic families who developed friendships with Onur."
To learn more about getting involved with high school exchange in this community, contact EF High School Exchange Year local coordinators Chris and Jennifer Haselman at 802-343-8918 and/or chrisjennhaselman@yahoo.com
(Pictured Jennifer Haselman, Onur Guler and Chris Haselman)
You may also call Regional Coordinator Jan Bedard, +1 (802) 338-2492 , the EF High School Exchange Year main office at 1-800-447-4273, or visit www.efexchangeyear.org.