HÉLÈNE NICOLAS-ROSSI, chaperon, of Mantes-la-Jolie, France

This year's LEC chaperon is a lovely French woman, mother of two teens, and a teacher of English in a school not too far from Paris and Versailles. Hélène has chaperoned before in England. Her American hosts are Paul and Ellen from Grantville, Lebanon County. They hosted another chaperone two years ago and do a superb job of balancing the chaperon's work duties and some fun and sightseeing here in the United States.

Her hosts recently wrote:

"Hélène Nicolas-Rossi returned to school, this time as a pupil in a one-room Amish schoolhouse during a day of visiting rural Lancaster County and learning about the way of life practiced by the area’s Amish population. She found the experience fascinating and gathered many photos to show her pupils back in France. This view of America is a far cry different from what she saw, a couple of days later, during a shopping excursion to King of Prussia Mall or what she will see during an upcoming trip to “The Big Apple!"

Interestingly enough, the Amish are the subject of lessons on the United States mandated by the French government. One of last summer's LEC students reported after returning home that our excursion to Lancaster County came to mind as he answered a question about the Amish on his final exam. 

 Hélène at home in France with her two sons.