Educational and Cultural High School Exchange Program

The Irish Cultural Center is partnering with the high schools of West Springfield, MA and Dingle, Ireland to cooperatively conduct an exciting educational and cultural exchange program between our two countries.

This year’s arrangement for the exchange program is sending West Springfield High School students to the Dingle Peninsula in April.

Twenty three young women in 10th and 11th grade at West Springfield High will participate in this unique experience, in the program’s second year.

The cohort of students will be traveling to the Dingle Peninsula along with trip chaperones, visiting many Irish  locations over their April vacation, such as the Blasket Islands, Blarney Castle, Limerick, Killarney Castle, and more. While in Dingle, the students will stay with host families who will provide a taste of Irish culture, including hiking, boat tours, local foods, and pottery making.

Many of their hosts are families of Dingle students who visited Springfield last year, the first year of this cultural exchange. The students were on a basketball team, many of them musically talented, and had the chance to experience Irish culture in our western MA community, and to take part in cultural and athletic activities.

The West Springfield students traveling to Ireland this year have a broad array of talents. Some are athletes as well, and will have the chance to take part in sporting events in Dingle. All of the students in this well-rounded educational exchange program will be able to experience the culture of Ireland, the arts, music, history, and daily life.

With the visit of the Dingle students last year being such a positive experience, the idea of an exchange program with the two communities was developed. The ICC is a proud co-sponsor of this endeavor, which supports our mission of cultivating a connection with Ireland, through the arts, culture, history, and education.

For many of the students, this is their first time flying and visiting another country. The opportunity to experience Ireland first-hand on such a personal level will be the adventure of a lifetime. National Geographic Magazine lists the Dingle Peninsula as one of the most beautiful places on earth. West Springfield High will be launching fundraising activities for this 10-day trip, with more information to come.