‘What do Dutch people like to eat?’ was one of the many questions the students at Queens Collegiate High School had for Deputy Minister of Education, Culture and Science Sharon Dijksma, during her visit to the school as part of the ‘Exploring the Dutch Legacy’ program.
‘Exploring the Dutch Legacy’ is a project from the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, designed to stimulate the cooperation between schools in the Netherlands and the United States. The Queens Collegiate High School recently joined the program, and will partner with College Vos in Vlaardingen, the Netherlands. The exchange project between the two schools will emphasize values the two countries share, such as democracy and tolerance.
Citizenship, tolerance and democracy were the subjects discussed during Deputy Minister Dijksma’s visit. She asked the students what role their school plays in the way they themselves function as citizens. The 25 students that will be participating in the project, aged 15-16, answered her questions with frankness. And also asked many questions with that same sincerity. It was clear the students have a strong interest in Netherlands, and they were very curious about many aspects of Dutch life: what Dutch people eat, and more serious topics such as gay marriage, the Dutch health care system and education.
The Queens Collegiate students are very excited to participate in the program. Through ‘Exploring the Dutch Legacy’, they will connect with different cultures, get to know different people and learn more about the Netherlands. The students enthusiasm was mirrored by Deputy Minister Dijksma’s: ‘The students were so curious about the Dutch, and were very honest about themselves and their school. I think our Dutch students can learn a lot from these children. Just as they can learn things from us. ‘Exploring the Dutch legacy’ will most definitely play an important role here.'
Please wait ...
