Successful End to the First Year of the HMS International Club
04/12/2022
by Señora Laura Proaño, Club Sponsor
The Highlands Middle School International Club celebrated their final meeting of the year in March with foods from around the world, including knödels, plantain chips and tropical fruit juices. The goal of the club that met weekly during the third nine weeks was to help students gain a greater appreciation for world languages and cultures through a collaboration with our six Highlands High School AFS students.
Each meeting started with a land acknowledgment followed by an introduction to the language, sports and food of our exchange students, topics the HMS students themselves prioritized. Each meeting ended with a reflection on how our cultures are similar and different, as well as what we appreciate about them. Many students particularly enjoyed practicing introducing themselves in the languages of our exchange students, including Arabic, Danish, German, Italian and Spanish.
In a post-club survey, one HMS student said, “I like learning the different ways of different cultures.” An AFS exchange student said they enjoyed “the energy the kids have and their curiosity to learn other cultures and languages.” Additionally, a parent of a HMS student said, “I really liked my son coming home and sharing about each country he learned about and practicing speaking in that language.”
A special thanks to our exceptional HHS AFS Exchange Students for openly sharing their time, languages and cultures with us:
- Mohamed Jaoudi from Tunisia who is hosted by the Majocha family
- Kalle Lammert from Denmark hosted by the Ochoa family
- Anjulie Mogk from Germany hosted by the Ochoa family
- Elba Moreno from Spain who is hosted by the Bollinger family
- Chiara Maoili from Italy who is hosted by the Adolph family
- Francesco Vicariotto from Italy who is hosted by the Harenski family
Additionally, thank you to our HHS World Language volunteers Eddie Ripple, Noah Kessler and Maera Williams for their help during our meetings, Mrs. Marcie Wallace for graciously lending us her room for our meetings and Dr. Kimberly Price for supporting the HMS International Club’s formation this year.
For more information about AFS or hosting an AFS exchange student, please visit our website at: https://www.goldenrams.com/domain/113