Parent Comments

Pyramid at the Louve Museum St. Michel Café in the Marais

"Alex returned to us glowing from his Paris experiences. I have mental snapshots of him looking out his window at the roofs of the city, of him on the bateaux mouches, at Versailles, at the Paris plage, strolling the streets with pals, sitting by the river in the evening, eating croques madames at the local café and much more. Most importantly, I think his time with you resulted in a change in his inner landscape. Since his return he has been more confident, happier, outgoing and just more in control of his life. He returned to school with a renewed sense of purpose. This time seems to have been an important turning point for him."
Anne van den Bergh, NJ

Kate's ISS experience continues to color her life. Her school life, her college search and her overall sense of self have all been enhanced by her July in Paris.

I was confident that Kate would enjoy ISS, but David and I are so pleased to see how she truly immersed herself in the program and how thoroughly open she was to new experiences. The ISS team made this possible. By giving her the tools and providing the opportunity and structure to explore and experience France, they gave her an amazing gift. There are not too many experiences that one can say are life-altering in a positive way, but ISS is one of them. I know this may sound somewhat extreme, but it is true. Kate absorbed everything that was available to her, from art at the Louvre to a birthday celebration by the Eiffel Tower to slam poetry and loved it all!

Kate delighted in her community service. She had a great time working with the kids, getting to know them and exchanging ideas on everything from food to music to family life. As you know, her art history and French teachers became her friends as well as her instructors.

Thank you for helping our daughter grow so much and for providing her with a safe haven in which to learn more about the world.
Kristen Balderston

"This is just to say how grateful I am to you for providing David with a fabulous experience. [During our visit], he seemed so happy and self-confident, as assured in navigating Paris now as he is in New York. I was very impressed with the atmosphere, neighborhood and cleanliness of the foyer as well as the demeanor of the other students, who all seem to be benefiting as much as David. I did not hear a negative word (contented adolescents in a structured academically-oriented program is hard to achieve) and it has definitely measured up to what we had hoped for."
Eliza Kimball, New York, NY

"The content of the program was meaningful, enlarging. Having a job and moving around the city coupled with a strong academic piece was a perfect balance, a wonderful mix to the day. Brianna was living a culture. At the end of the summer, I picked up a different person. She took us around Paris. She knew where there was the best deal in bottled water, and she also took us to the Louvre where, in a 45 minute disquisition, she shared her pleasure in Veronese's The Marriage at Cana which she had absorbed on her earlier visit to the museum."
Andrea Fabbri, New York, NY

"For Mark, the program was a natural evolution from an interest in other cultures and a commitment to service. I liked so much that the service program came with a firm academic grounding."
Robert Spatt, Stamford, CT

"I wanted to thank you for allowing Steven to be part of an extraordinary learning experience this summer. Aside from making wonderful friendships, he has benefited in so many ways. He's more confident in French class, and has become involved in various community service activities and enjoys his time helping others. He has come back a nicer, more respectful person overall. We appreciate whatever magic you and your staff performed."
Cindy Horowitz, Basking Ridge, NJ

"I liked that the core of the program was community service, that AJ could give back to the community. And, his French teacher at Shady Side couldn't believe how much his fluency in French improved, probably because he simply had to speak French to the children--mostly from pretty deprived backgrounds--in his work with a Montessori program."
Janice Frye, Donegal, PA

"We knew his going to Paris would be a very important experience for our son, but, as it turned out, it may have been the most important thing he has ever done."
Dr. Neal Herman, New York, NY

"I want to try and put into words the far-reaching success of the Paris Seminar. Lulu seems to have made lifelong friends and spends much time each day on e-mail writing to them--from Canada to Nashville. They all seem to be in a state of wondrous admiration of themselves and each other for having experienced Paris as they did.

I think you can be happy that your visionary aims were more than realized and that the benefits of the experience will last a lifetime. For that, we thank you."
Linda Scott, Botswana