All 9^th graders at Lexington High School participate in a Foundations of Leadership (F.O.L.) course.  This course is designed to enhance and support the learning experiences of 9^th grade students to become knowledgeable, responsible, and caring students as they transition into high school. Students are active partners in creating an environment that both promotes strategies for academic success and excellence, and also integrates social and emotional learning. Throughout the school year, freshman work on a variety of collaborative projects to help foster teamwork, social awareness and understanding, problem solving, compassion, servant leadership, and decision-making skills.

Most recently, the whole 9^th grade class has been very busy in their F.O.L. course preparing for the 2022 Multicultural Fair. This event is being planned, organized, coordinated, and run by the freshmen class. There are usually 12 to 20 countries represented at the Fair. This year, each FOL class selected one or two countries to study in depth and learn about the culture, traditions, geography, economics, customs, foods, popular sports/kids games and activities, etc.. The countries featured in this year’s fair include: Philippines, Australia, Indonesia, Korea, Japan, Italy, Mozambique, Norway, Mexico, Kenya, Egypt, Greece, Brazil, Colombia, Morocco, North Korea, and France.

After the freshmen learn all about their chosen country, next they will work in small groups to devise/create/plan interactive learning activities to share/for the target audience. This year’s Multicultural event attendees will be Sandoz Elementary 2^nd and 3^rd graders. Led by high school ‘tour guides’, the Sandoz students will have the awesome experience of “traveling around the world” to various countries, getting stamps in their passports, and learning about each country’s culture by participating in a variety of hands-on, fun-filled experiences.

For 2022, Mrs. Archer’s Foundations of Leadership class voted to learn all about the Philippines. Why this country? Well, the Philippines is their country of choice because earlier in the school year, these 9^th graders participated in an outreach servant leadership project – Operation Christmas Child – and some of their shoebox gifts were sent to the Philippines and received by kids in that country. Hearing back from one of those shoebox gift recipients triggered a keen sense of curiosity, and Mrs. Archer’s students want to learn all they can about the culture and life in the Philippines. Jonathan De La Torre, one of the F.O.L. students, shared that he has really learned interesting things about the Filipino culture and looks forward to sharing some of the activities with the Sandoz’ students.

The F.O.L. Multicultural Event will be held on Wednesday, March 2, 2022 beginning at about 8:30 am in the West Gym of Lexington High School.