When Sister Cities Meet to Learn: Bellingham Educators Explore Finnish Phenomenon-Based Learning

In late spring 2025, the City of Vaasa welcomed guests from one of its sister cities—Bellingham, Washington, USA. The visitors, Mr. and Mrs. Cameron Kolk, are both teachers at Whatcom Intergenerational High School in Bellingham and spent several days in Vaasa exploring Finland’s world-renowned phenomenon-based learning system.

Whatcom Intergenerational High School is built on the principles of phenomenon-based learning—a teaching model that encourages students to explore real-world topics through interdisciplinary projects.

This was the Kolks’ first visit to Finland. Their itinerary included meetings with local educators on various levels, school visits to observe the Finnish education system in action, and participation in traditional Finnish activities.

The program began with an introduction to the Finnish educational model, hosted by school director Marianne West and regional principal Johanna Olsson. They visited Finland’s first bilingual general upper secondary campus, Campus Lykeion, serving both Finnish- and Swedish-speaking students and met with the two principals Jaakko Perttu and Seppo Kallio. They also joined students and staff for a school lunch, offering a closer look at daily life in a Finnish school. The Kolks noted many similarities between the Finnish system and their own school in Bellingham, which is based on the Finnish system.

Next, they visited Borgaregatans skola, a Swedish-speaking junior high school, where principal Markus Rönnblom introduced them to another facet of Finland’s education system. They also paid a visit to the English Playschool as well as to Åbo Akademi University, where they met with faculty and learned about the development and current challenges of teacher education and training in Finland.

Marketing and Communication Director Leena Forsén gave the guests a presentation on the Finnish concept of happiness and Vaasa’s local happiness campaign. It offered insights into the social, cultural, and educational factors that contribute to Finland’s high quality of life and why Finland, for the eighth year in a row, is the happiest country in the world.

The visit provided a broader view of Finnish society and values as the Kolks toured various parts of Vaasa, including the UNESCO World Heritage site and climbed up to the Saltkaret observation tower, where they experienced the land uplift phenomenon firsthand.

To round off their visit, they participated in a traditional Finnish sauna and ice swimming session. Although the ice had melted for the season, the experience offered a relaxing and authentic conclusion to a memorable trip.

This visit was more than a professional exchange—it was a meaningful connection between two communities committed to learning and collaboration.