Exchange students give presentations at Glenwood

by jessica hardin

jhardin@vindy.com

boardman

With the help of AFS Intercultural Programs, 22 students from all over the world will experience Thanksgiving for the first time in Northeast Ohio this week.

The youth-exchange organization originally known as the American Field Service gives students the opportunity to study in the United States for a semester or a school year.

Three months into the program, four participants – Federica Delrio, Samuele Franceschetti, Isabel Morro Tabares and Nao Yonezawa – last week delivered presentations on their home countries at Boardman Glenwood Junior High School.

Samuele, from Italy, and Isabel, from Spain, are at Poland Seminary High School. Nao, from Japan, is at Struthers High School, and Federica, from Italy, is at Mathews High School.

In their presentations, students described differences among American high schools and schools in their home countries.

“[In Japan] we have school uniforms, even in public school. ... Girls should tie up their hair, and boys have to cut their hair short. There are so many rules,” Nao said.

Federica added, “You have sports in schools, but we don’t have them in schools ... In Italy, you do it outside of school, and you belong to a team.”

They also described their favorite aspects of their new homes.

“I love Handel’s. I love Chik-fil-A,” Isabel said.

AFS Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties chapter chairperson Terri Windsor added that the exchange students love the social aspect of the American high school experience.

“One of the things they speak highly of is the events at the high school. They talk about going to the football games and how much fun they are,” Windsor said.

Windsor has hosted exchange students in the past and encourages families of all types to do so.

“You can be single, you can be married, you can be elderly. You don’t even need to have kids to host a student,” Windsor said.

But, she said that the experience is unforgettable.

“By the time they leave, you have gained a son or a daughter. You hate to say goodbye to because they become so close to you,” Windsor said.

For more information, contact Terri at terri.windsor@afsusa.org or visit afsusa.org/host-family/get-started/ or afsusa.org/northeast-ohio/.