Brevard students and teacher describe Denmark exchange, urge continued support

Andrew Heely introduced a student who described a weeklong exchange in Denmark that he said gave Brevard-area students an international classroom experience. "It's the best thing I've ever done," student Luke Weaver told the board, thanking the district for supporting the exchange.

Heely, who led the trip, told board members the group spent three days in Copenhagen and took day trips to Roskilde and Kronborg Castle in Helsingør, visited Hobro and Skagen, and stayed with host families. He said the exchange included presentations from the Brevard students and that about 10 Danish students and 12 Brevard students participated in the program, which included visits to museums, historic sites and local schools.

Heely emphasized the value of host-family stays and classroom time with Danish students: "It was really cool to trade ideas back and forth with my friends about how Europe is different from here," he said, and described the program as an opportunity for students to see commonalities across cultures.

He also recounted a travel disruption: a strike by an airline canceled the group’s connections on the way home and temporarily extended the trip. Heely said airline staff later rebooked the group and they returned safely.

The presentation included photographs and examples of classroom activities, and Heely said the group used the trip to connect language-arts work and history with real-world sites. He thanked the board for continuing support of the exchange and asked the board to continue backing the program so future students have the same opportunity.

The board did not take action during this item; the presentation concluded with applause and presentation materials intended for the public record.