10 educators (8 from Petrozavodsk and 2 from Smolensk) were hosted by various communities in the US, including Detroit, Raleigh, and Providence. During these professional placements, participants visited local schools and other institutions of learning, observing classes, discussing and debriefing with colleagues and giving presentations. The group had an orientation session with Project Harmony staff in New York City at the beginning of the program, along with a debriefing and cultural program in NYC during the last few days.

Project Harmony organized and ran a program for 21 educators from various cities in Finland, involving Overview sessions on the Vermont educational system, individualized professional placements in Vermont educational institutions, and visits to a Boston school and Harvard Graduate School of Education. This program represents an on-going partnership with Opeko, and was the second time Project Harmony hosted a Finnish group.

			Program Outcome A meeting among US and Russian special education advocates during the Novgorod Program has resulted in the creation of a new program for 2001 focused on this important educational theme. Participants from past programs will play a vital role in developing this program.

The 13 educators taking part in this program hailed from diverse geographic areas of the US - from Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York to Michigan, Arkansas and Arizona. The Americans were matched with English-speaking Russian educators and attended school with their hosts on a daily basis. They observed Russian classes and taught subjects ranging from physics to American history. Educational themes addressed through site visits and discussions ranged from the inclusion of children with special needs to the teaching of music. The trip included a cultural program in St. Petersburg.

		Program Outcome Three participants from the Petrozavodsk Program created a "journaling" website aimed at 6th graders in North Carolina who are studying about Russia. The site includes information and photos documenting Russian history and culture: Our Great Adventure to Russia

A group of 14 educators spent one week in Petrozavodsk, hosted by educators, some of whom had traveled to the US on the Fall 1999 program. Participants spent most of their time visiting various schools in small groups, where the Americans observed classes and made presentations. Half of the participants spent one morning at a Petrozavodsk nursery school, where they learned about new trends in early childhood education through observation and discussion. The trip included a cultural program in St. Petersburg.

			Program Outcome As a result of his professional placement during the Finland Program, one participant is working to create an exchange program for students and faculty involved in vocational education.

A group of 7 US educators from Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Vermont took part in a program organized jointly by Project Harmony and the National Centre for Professional Development in Education, Finland. The program included Overview sessions by various experts in the field of education, group visits to the teacher training school and International School of Tampere, and individualized professional placements. Some of the Finnish participants from the Fall '99 program joined the US group during program activities.

For the third year in a row, Project Harmony hosted a group of Finnish educators for a 10-day professional development program in Vermont and Boston. The 21 participants ranged from elementary school teachers to vocational educators, from guidance counselors to higher education specialists. Participants had individualized professional programs, based on their experience and interests, during which they spent time in school classrooms, toured educational facilities, and met with specialists in their field.