Nipmuc Regional High School Hosts 21 Exchange Students From Spain
Twenty-one students from Divina Pastora School in Leon, Spain, spent two weeks with students from Nipmuc Regional High School, following them through their school and outside life as part of the Spanish Exchange Program. (Photo Courtesy Mendon-Upton Regional School District)
MENDON – Superintendent Maureen Cohen, World Language Department Chair Tricia Moloney, and Spanish Immersion Teacher Ana Soto are pleased to share that Nipmuc Regional High School recently renewed its Spanish Exchange Program after a two-year hiatus.
Twenty-one students and two teachers from the Divina Pastora School in León, Spain, lived with local host families from Sept. 12-27 and immersed themselves in the school culture.
Divina Pastora students shadowed Nipmuc students through their academic classes, athletics, and everyday lives. The exchange students participated in Nipmuc Homecoming Week activities. They also picked apples and carved pumpkins to experience traditional New England fall activities.
Twenty-five Nipmuc students will spend two weeks in León with their partners next April to complete the exchange.
The program was on hiatus for two years due to the global pandemic.
“We are thrilled to have been able to restart the program this year,” Moloney said. “These exchanges are about much more than gaining language proficiency. By becoming immersed with the students from León, our students and host families develop lifelong connections and a greater appreciation of another culture.”
The Spanish Exchange Program aligns with the District’s Portrait of a Learner profile, which encourages students to become global citizens.
“Programs such as the Spanish Exchange expose students to different perspectives and cultural norms. Students grow as independent thinkers and develop new skills that increase their chance at success in life,” Superintendent Cohen said. “When I think about key aspects of global citizenship, the Spanish Exchange program and our innovative Spanish Immersion program in our district are prime examples of authentic experiences we create for our students every day.”
Students from Divina Pastora School in León, Spain, spent two weeks with students from Nipmuc Regional High School, and attended athletic events including Homecoming. (Photo Courtesy Mendon-Upton Regional School District)
Twenty-one students from Divina Pastora School in León, Spain, spent two weeks with students from Nipmuc Regional High School, following them through their school and outside life as part of the Spanish Exchange Program. (Photo Courtesy Mendon-Upton Regional School District)
Students from Divina Pastora School in León, Spain, took part in traditional New England fall activities including carving pumpkins. (Photo Courtesy Mendon-Upton Regional School District)