Rutherford, NJ—The First Lady of Poland, Jolanta Kwasniewska, and 20 underprivileged children from Poland came to breakfast at Felician College on a bright Tuesday morning filled with sunshine and laughter. As the children feasted on a breakfast of pancakes, eggs, bacon, and assorted pastries, the First Lady went from table to table greeting them good morning. About to embark on a two-week journey which will take them to sites throughout New York and Washington DC, the children expressed wonderment and awe at having just spent their first night in America. Knowing little or no English, the children spoke through translators, including some of the Felician Sisters. “I still can’t believe it!” exclaimed one child. “Are we really in America?” said another.

Throughout the morning, Kwasniewska mingled with the children and spoke to college officials and media representatives. Wishing to see where the children are sleeping during their stay and where the college president conducts her work, Kwasniewska toured the dormitories and visited the college’s Lodi campus where she was excitedly greeted by a number of college workers, many of whom come from Polish decent. “I am very happy and very proud that I am here with the Polish Children,” said Kwasniewska during a press conference. “I know that after two weeks, they will return totally different children and will know the whole world is open to them.”

The trip was made possible through the First Lady’s foundation, Communication Without Barriers, which has organized 50 trips like this one to other countries; The American Center of Polish Culture in Washington, DC, who sought funds for the trip; and Felician College who are hosting the children during their stay.

The children, aged 12 to 16, come from orphanages and from indigent households where one or both of the parents have died. “It breaks my heart to learn about the children’s stories,” said Dr. Kaya Mirecka-Ploss, Executive Director of the American Center of Polish Culture. They were chosen through the First Lady’s foundation based on family circumstances and performance in school. “The children had to be very good students,” explained Dr. Mirecka-Ploss.

Their visit to the United States has been dubbed “The Summer of Dreams,” and a documentary by the same name will chart their travels in America as well as five days in the lives of two of the children which was filmed prior to the trip. The documentary was made possible by Albin Obal, the man responsible for bringing Felician College and the American Center for Polish Culture together via his standing as chairman of the board for both organizations.

The documentary will no-doubt be a story of a cross-continental outpouring of love and compassion—of ordinary people exhibiting extraordinary behavior. As Dr. Mirecka-Ploss relayed the stories behind the trip, she spoke of entire villages pulling together to sew clothing for a child, seeing to it that the child would come to the U.S. in clothing that was better than merely adequate. She also spoke of a family in New Jersey who will be hosting a pool party for the children, complete with a DJ and an American barbecue. “The stories of these children are stories that reflect the poverty of children world-wide. They touch the very souls of all who hear them, and awaken a real sense of community spirit,” said Sister Theresa.

The group who will tour the U.S. includes 10 boys and 10 girls aged 12-16, two tutors, a doctor, a representative from the Communication without Barriers foundation, a representative from the American Center for Polish Culture, and a camera man who will film footage for the documentary. The children play various musical instruments and will be performing musical pieces at some of the places they visit.

Among the stops they will make are New York City to visit the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Empire State Building, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Rockefeller Center and Fifth Avenue; Niagara Falls and the Old Fort of Niagara; Washington D.C. to visit the White House where they will meet Tipper Gore, the Polish Embassy where they will give a musical performance, the Air and Space Museum, and the Smithsonian Institute; Baltimore, MD, to visit the National Aquarium, Camden Yards Stadium where the Orioles play, and Fort McHenry.

Felician College is a coeducational, liberal arts, Catholic college, founded in the Franciscan tradition by the Felician Sisters. Located on two campuses in Lodi and Rutherford, NJ, Felician College enrolls 1400 students in 40 undergraduate and graduate programs in the arts and sciences, health sciences, and teacher education.