Educational Camps in France?
How SCORE Helped U.S. Business (1996)

"Score Counselors sometimes meet clients who are so full of enthusiasm and ambition that the formality of preparing a business plan almost seems irrelevant. Such was the case of Valérie Levent, a young French émigré living in San Rafael California, and Albert Barr, her SCORE counsellor from San Francisco Chapter 10."

She came to Mr. Barr with the Idea of sending groups of young Americans to camp in France. Levent's familiarity with camps and knowledge of the Travel Business, coupled with her will to succeed, proved to be an excellent combination. Her primary market is the several French-American schools in the Bay Area of San Francisco. Students at these schools are bilingual and should easily adapt to summer camp in France. Barr helped her prepare her press release and directed her to other Score counsellors. Arrangements were made for representative of three camps to visit San Francisco and make presentations directly to parents who are considering sending up to 100 students to France this summer…Ms. Levent also received help from the Alliance Française in San Francisco who were enthusiastic about her program because it is the first of its type in the United States.
CORSAIR, a charter airline that flies the groups to Paris from SFO, is her official sponsor and covered the expense of printing a four color brochure.
Barr's only regret is that he is too old to go to camp this summer. However, should any SCORE counsellors have French-speaking grandchildren, they can contact VSF!

LA LITOTE
MK Press, Inc - Décembre 1996 N. 7

La Rubrique PROFILS brosse chaque mois le portrait de femmes et d'hommes animés de projets souvent ambitieux, toujours originaux,
qui reflètent une diversité et un dynamisme pas tout à fait
comme les autres.

Valérie Levent, jeune française installée à Marin County, a une formation d'agent de voyage et est aujourd'hui guide pour des groupes de touristes qui visitent la Californie. Elle met la dernière main à un ambitieux projet de colonies de vacances (VSF), qui s'adresse aux élèves de toutes les écoles françaises franco-américaines de la région de San Francisco. Elle propose ainsi d'envoyer les enfants bilingues en France en « camps d'étés » pendant 2 à 3 semaines, pour qu'ils pratiquent la langue. Un concept qui n'existe pas, ou plus- ici.
Ce voyage a aussi un but éducatif puisque chaque année sera proposée la visite d'une région de France différente ; cet été, la Provence. « Les enfants visiteront des châteaux, des marchés, des villages, discuteront avec des vignerons et des artisans, en bref, découvriront toute une partie de la culture française », précise Valérie Levent. Des camps itinérants seront également organisés (randonnées en vélo).
Son objectif est d'emmener en colonie une quarantaine d'enfants dès l'année prochaine. Si le succès se confirme, elle ajoutera ensuite des classes de neige. Le projet est sponsorisé entre autres par la companie aérienne Corsair.

PIEDMONT POST
February 2000 - French Language Trip offered during Summer

According to Sophie Chew and Martin G., standing on the slopes of Mont-Blanc can be a little scary, but certainly worth the view. After all, it isn’t every day that you get a chance to spend the night on the shoulders of Europe's highest mountain bivouacked thousands of feet above the surrounding glacial valleys!
Last summer the two Piedmont Middle School students did just that, not to mention performing in a circus production before an all-French audience high in the Alps. It was part of a summer recreation and language program called "Vacances Sans Frontières" designed to immerse children in the language and culture of France through a variety of imaginative activities. The program brings students from around the world to join French school children during their summer vacations. Mrs. Haideh Chew, who has taught French at the Piedmont Language School for the past 14 years, was hired last July by VSF to escort 10 Bay Area children to France. An experienced traveller, Chew ensured that the connections between Paris and the French Alps were smooth. She took the students on side trips to Versailles, Chamonix and the French countryside, giving students a chance to live, play and study with their French counterparts.
The Piedmont seventh-graders were the only two English-speaking students in a group of roughly 100 from France, Italy, Spain and Russia, but they got along fine.
“"Hearing French when you wake up in the morning and all day until you go to bed really helped my accent and pronunciation" Sophie Chew said, "I can’t wait to go again" said Martin G. whose parents timed their own vacation to France to coincide with his last July. A three-week trip is planned again this year.

L'EXPRESS
Magasine Hors Série n.2 Juillet 1999
REUSSIR Destination Etats-Unis

L'appel du Nouveau Monde. «  Les Obstacles sont nombreux mais les Esprits Entreprenants on la cote ». Article par Anne Vidali.

« Valérie Levent, 29 ans, a réussi, elle aussi. Peu importe qu'elle n'ait qu'un Bac commercial et une année de droit à son actif. Personne ne demande son pédigree à la Présidente de VSF, l'entreprise qu'elle a créée en 1996 au nord de San Francisco, afin d'organiser des camps d'été à thème, en France, pour les petits Américains, seuls ou avec leurs parents. Elle vient d'ailleurs de décrocher le contrat de représentation de Pierre & Vacances aux Etats-Unis. La Consécration . »

« Aujourd'hui, elle a trouvé son équilibre. Les séjours qu'elle organise en France lui permettent de venir régulièrement embrasser sa famille et ses amis. Elle est heureuse d'avoir, comme elle dit, «The Best of both Worlds « . Le Meilleur des deux Mondes.

PALO ALTO WEEKLY - January 15, 1997
A Monthly section on local Schools- Edited by Elizabeth Darling

FRENCH SUMMER CAMP!...VSF will be organizing a program to send 100 Bay Area school children, ages 10-16, to French summer camp. Campers take part in sports and activities to help them develop friendships, expand their creativity and learn about history by visiting medieval castles and villages. Two trips to the South of France are being organized this year.

JOURNAL FRANCAIS
France Press Février 1999 (Supplément Travel Study Guide)

Quand les vacances d'été approchent, la grande question que se posent les parents, que faire des enfants ? il est pas toujours facile à résoudre. Comment planifier ces 2 mois et demi sans école ? car il faut distraire nos petits et pourquoi pas, en même temps, leur faire découvrir d'autres pays et cultures. Pour les enfants entre 6 et 15 ans, la solution s'appelle VSF. Cet organisme franco-américain créé en 1996, organise des voyages en France pendant 3 semaines. Il permet à des enfants et adolescents vivant aux Etats-Unis de partir en centre de vacances en été, d'y rencontrer des jeunes Français (80% des enfants du centre sont français) et bien sûr de parler la langue (deux ans de français sont exigés). Le premier souhait de la fondatrice, Valérie Levent, était d'offrir la possibilité à des enfants de cultures et de milieux différents de se rencontrer, de partager leurs connaissances, et de s'ouvrir ainsi au monde qui les entoure.
De plus, les destinations sont particulièrement bien choisies, paysages superbes et régions riches d'histoire : Paris, l'Aveyron, le Lot, les Alpes. Les activités, variées elles aussi, vont du théâtre à l'équitation en passant par la découverte du patrimoine, la peinture, l'archéologie, le canoé kayak, etc. les enfants étant revenus heureux de ces vacances, les parents ont demandé à Valérie et à son collaborateur Mr. S. Mattson, d'organiser des vacances pour toute la famille. C'est chose faite. Cette année, parents et enfants pourront partir ensemble à Pont-les-Bains (Aveyron) ou à Roquebrune-sur-Argens (Var).

FAST FORWARD March 1998 Vol. 7
MY SUMMER IN FRANCE WITH VSF
(An Excerpt) By Alison Barnes, Bay Area

"Going away to camp in Europe is just about as far as you can get. But the friends you meet make you feel right at home."

FRANCE is just breathtaking. The countryside looks as if it were taken out of a storybook, with its rolling hills with wildflowers and the occasional sunflower plantation of solid yellow. And on top of one of these hills were many times a château, a castle, or possibly an old church. Around these historical monuments might be a little town one you may have pictured in your head: an old, quaint French town with cobblestone roads barely large enough for even a small French car, and tall stone houses with laundry hanging out the windows. And of course not far there is a patisserie or boulangerie for the full French experience.
As I was walking down the little roads or in the tall grass I often felt as if I were in some movie, "Heidi" came to mind. The history in France is amazing, not only in the sense that it is incredibly fascinating, but also that there’s so much! You could drive maybe 15 minutes from any point and find some sort of historical site!

The whole staff was like one big family. Each person (counselor, kitchen help or cook) had a unique personality, true individuals, yet they all melded together to form this wonderful family of friends. They were all such amiable people, going out of their way to please us and show us a good time.
One of my best memories is when I first experience the French culture and the French people's lack of inhibitions. A few counsellors were going to be gone the next day which was my friend Brionne’s Birthday, and so to be sure everybody was included, the cooks made the most delicious apple tart the night before. We stayed up talking and eating pie, then drinking their coffee that is just to die for, when Jean-Marc, the Director, whipped out his guitar. He started out with French songs, a few solos until the crowd warmed up and everybody was singing and smiling and swaying to the music. Even though I couldn't sing along with them because I didn't know the words, I felt the spirit of the singers, just through their warm grins and bellowing voices.

Another experience was at one of the mini-camps which were all a blast, but the rock climbing trip was unbeatable. It was set in the most ideal place with a meadow for the tents and a gorge nearby. For each climb we first hiked down the mountainside to a gorge below to our rock climbing location. The climbs themselves, were exhilarating, gorgeous and pure fun, but that wasn't half the experience. We spent the night staying up late in the thick fog, running around, then telling ghost stories in the middle of the meadow.

During the daytime, aside from our climbs, we would play soccer or Frisbee or hang out and talk. My favourite afternoon was when we convinced our awesome counsellors to take us halfway down the mountainside to a spot I had noticed the day before where there was a cluster of large rocs overlooking the drop to the river. A few of us went, some suntanned, some marvelled at the spectacular view, and some wrote or read. It was so beautiful with the breeze calming the heat of the sun, and the distant sound of a waterfall paired with little birds chirping from one tree in the middle of the lush green hillside.

The other campers were so nice and it’'s definitely fun to get their attention. They are just totally fascinated by foreigners and want to know everything about you and your lifestyle. And the food, boy was there food! It's just unbelievable how well the French eat. Not only was it delicious, but there was so much. You think that the meal is coming to a close because you're stuffed to the rim, and that's when they bring out the main course. It's just how they eat!

One of the most important aspect of this camp experience is the improvement in speaking and understanding French, which is inevitable. I definitely saw a difference in my French, and although I didn't come back completely fluent, by the end of the trip I could understand almost everything in French, and could say what I wanted with a little thought.

Last but not least, I strongly recommend this camp to those who want to learn the language or history, or just experience the rich culture of France. I had the experience of my life!