Blue Lake International Exchange Program
Decades of International Friendship

Since its inception in 1969, thousands of young Blue Lake Goodwill Ambassadors have made innumerable friends in Europe for Blue Lake and our country.  The reputation of our country abroad has suffered greatly in recent years, and our mission to make friends on the other side of the ocean is now more important than ever.

As background for those unfamiliar with this program, dedicated to achieving International Friendship and Peace, each summer, since 1969, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp has sent approximately 350 gifted young musicians and dancers on goodwill/concert tours throughout Europe.  In return, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp annually arranges tours in Michigan and the Mid-West for an average of 10 to 15 European music and dance groups.  An additional 50 European students participate annually.  The opportunity for these gifted young musicians and dancers to visit distant lands while living with private host families provides priceless enriching and educational experiences.

As a testament to the past success of our young ambassadors, we have been told many times by our European hosts that our young Blue Lake musicians and dancers are polite, well-behaved, friendly, and a pleasure to welcome into the hundreds of European communities and families we have visited in the past.  Many of the mayors and community dignitaries (yes, even the King of Sweden!) have told us that they prefer to have our young Blue Lakers visit than many of the politicians who are sent to officially represent our country.

We are very grateful to our many friends in Europe for their continued support and encouragement, as well as their kind and gracious hospitality.  We wish to express our appreciation, also, to those parents and students who believe in the ideals and values of Blue Lake’s International Exchange Program . . . and especially to our young musicians and dancers who participate each summer as Blue Lake Goodwill Ambassadors.

On behalf of all of the Students, Parents, Chairmen and Host Families on both sides of the ocean, I wish to express the hope that our efforts will someday be rewarded with a safer, friendlier and more peaceful world.

Gretchen Stansell,  Director
Blue Lake International Exchange Program