Riis’s Denmark Cultural Exchange Program entered its 13th year this summer with the arrival of six Danish youth and their chaperones to NYC in late June. Their arrival marked the beginning of the seventh cycle of this exciting program, which has provided countless young people with the opportunity to experience other cultures and develop a deeper social awareness.
Six teens (four girls and two boys) from the Ribe Cathedral School, along with their chaperone, Ole, arrived at JFK on June 30th. The headmaster of the school, Kristian Bennike, and his wife, Therese, joined the group for the latter part of the trip. Upon the group’s arrival, they were met by Riis Academy-PS 166 program director, Iftikhar Mahmud, and taken to the Riis Settlement community center, where they received a warm welcome from our staff, our six Riis Academy exchange participants, and the host families. This year, four teens from Riis Academy-InfoTech and two teens from Riis Academy-Queensbridge were chosen to participate in the program.
In keeping with tradition, a jam-packed itinerary was planned for the week, and it kicked off with a Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise around Manhattan. Activities for the rest of the week included trips to the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, the South Street Seaport, the Museum of Natural History, and Central Park. The youth also enjoyed a tour of Harlem and a delicious soul food lunch at the famous Sylvia’s. During their visit, the Danes also had the chance to cheer on their national soccer team as they took on Croatia in the World Cup. Additionally, the youth were invited as guests of the Kirby family to watch the July 4th fireworks from a prime rooftop spot on the Long Island City waterfront.
The visit was a successful one that gave the Danish youth a taste of what life is like in the Big Apple and allowed all the participants to bond. A special thanks to Riis Academy program directors Veronica Franklin and Michael Rieger for organizing and overseeing the trip and to all the staff who assisted during the week. We look forward to giving the Riis Academy youth a reciprocal experience in Denmark next summer.
