French students planning trip to Paris
Flea market raises funds for school activity
.jpg)
Have you heard of the Flea Market that was held at UCC? Recently a school organized fund raiser called the Student Flea Market was held at the Student Campus Center Nov. 6 to Nov. 7. The purpose of this fundraising event is to raise money for a trip to Paris spring term from Mar. 18 to Mar. 30 organized by World Languages professor, Honora Ní Aódagaín and students from her French classes.
According to Haley Stammen, ASUCC Activities Officer, $1,011.67 was raised over the course of two days. Several items were even purchased while the event was being set up.
Hannah Lee and Summer Fry, two of the students who will be going on the French trip, thought the fundraising had been going very well.
“I went to stop by today and a lot of stuff had been sold; the clothes are going very quickly,” Fry said.
Caroline Hopkins, Student Support Services TRIO director, said that over the course of the fundraising event she bought Christmas gifts for different members of her family. “I brought my Christmas list, and I have that whole box full of Christmas presents,” Hopkins said.
After several French classes have expressed the desire to take a trip to France it has now become reality. “I have students going back almost four years coming,” Ni Aódagaín said. In total, 15 students will be participating in the event, with seven of them being from Ni Aódagaín previous French classes. Four adult chaperons will accompany the students on the trip to Paris and include Honora Ní Aódagaín, Dan Yoder, Cheryl Yoder and Mary Morris.
The trip will be 12 days long, with ten days of that time actually in Paris. While the students will spend a good portion of the time in Paris, they will also be taking day trips to nearby cities such as Versailles or to visit places like the Eiffel tower.
“We will be able to communicate to people from all over the world, and that’s an experience I personally want to have,” Fry said.
As part of the preparation, the students meet together once per week learning more about the culture of France as well as deciding on where they want to go visit while in France and learning how to navigate on the metro system.
“Your next purchase is going to be a good pair of walking shoes,” Ni Aódagaín said. According to Lee they were told to be prepared to be on their feet for eight hours each day.
The cost for the trip will be about $1400 for the flight and $1400 for the other expenses totaling to about $3000. One possible lodging option is to stay at a hostel, with 4 to a room and a shared kitchen for the people at the hostel.
Saving Grace has supported the flea market fund raiser by loaning clothing racks, and in exchange the extra items left from the flea market were donated to Savings Grace.
Future fund raisers are likely, but nothing as big as the flea market. But, if anybody wants to give personal donations they should contact Ní Aódagaín, the World Languages instructor.
.jpg)