Rockledge Elementary held their Annual Holiday Shop on Friday, Dec. 9. Au Pair in America sponsored the arts & crafts activities, providing the craft supplies as well as some volunteers to assist the children. Three au pairs volunteered, including Alex from Austria, Šárka from the Czech Republic and Sabrina from Germany. The students kept them busy, but the event was a lot of fun.

One of the volunteers, Šárka said, "I'm glad I was there, it was a nice time with the kids."

Au pairs are young women ages 18-26 from all over the world who come to the U.S. as part of a childcare and cultural exchange program regulated by the State Department. As part of the program, they live with an American host family, provide childcare, and study at local colleges. Many au pairs also enjoy volunteering. Volunteering can be a great way for them to experience American culture.

For more information about au pairs in our local community, contact Christine Connally at 301-860-1314 or visit http://blogs.aupairinamerica.com/mdf.