Editor's Note: MHS students went on the road this spring, putting classroom lessons to the test in settings across New England.

When plans for a trip to Quebec fell through, students in Dr. Pauline Valentine’s Hallmark French class went back to the drawing board, instead designing a trip to learn about French heritage in New England.

In April, they traveled to Lewiston and Biddeford, Maine, Manchester, New Hampshire, and Lowell, Massachusetts, following the steps of the French-Canadian Great Migration of the mid-19th and early 20th centuries.

“I am always looking for ways to engage the class and have them be the actors of their own learning,” explains Dr. Valentine. Students found a website describing the Franco Trail, then went about building an itinerary, leaving MHS on April 18 for a three-day trip.

They visited the Franco Center in Lewiston, the Dyer Library and Saco Museum in Saco, Maine, and met with John Tousignant, Executive Director of the Franco-American Centre in Manchester, N.H. There, they visited Lafayette Park, the historic Sainte Marie Church, and the New Hampshire Merci Train, one of 49 boxcars gifted to Americans in each of the U.S. states by the people of France following World War II.

They spoke in French, blogged in French, and ate French food. Each student wrote a blog post each night about that day’s adventures. They snacked on tasty French cheeses and enjoyed traditional dishes ratatouille, poutine, and carry poulet, even doing their own cooking!

“They really connected in their little family, and that’s very special, because I want them to have meaningful experiences, be intrigued by the cuisine and the culture, and want to explore more,” says Dr. Valentine. “I hope they have such good memories that they want to re-create a similar experience for themselves someday. Ultimately, I want them to remember that they made it happen.”