3 exchange students to leave Mahoning Valley Monday

Three Mahoning County foreign exchange students on Monday will bid adieu to their American lifestyle of the last 10-months.

AFS Intercultural Programs (or AFS, originally the American Field Service) is an international youth exchange organization dedicated to sending students abroad for study.

Mona Steinte, 17, of Germany, attended Poland Seminary High School and stayed with host Terri Windsor.

She said she most enjoyed the American high school scene, with football games, trips and more.

“I made a lot of friends, but I also made family,” she said.

Windsor echoed Mona’s sentiment.

“She has become my daughter while she has lived with me since August, and I know [when she leaves on] June 25 will be one of the hardest days,” she said. “We intend to keep in contact with Skype and WhatsApp once she returns home to her family.”

Nicolas Lupi, 18, of Italy, agreed with Mona about the sentimentality of his experience.

“It makes you grow and have a wider, broader mentality ...nYou grow when you’re in another world so you can figure yourself out.”

Nicolas attended Struthers High School for the 2017-18 school year. He stayed with host family Josh and Tara Bishop.

Jessica Christen, 17, of Switzerland, stayed with host family Shannon and Mario Pecchia and attended Struthers High School, as well.

The experience for Shannon Pecchia was an eye-opener for her whole family, she said.

Read more about them in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.