By EMMA NORMAN – Each year, IHS receives new exchange students from around the world. As a school of great diversity, IHS takes pride in this opportunity to meet new people from such diverse and intriguing backgrounds. This year’s exchange students are eager to take part in all of the vast opportunities at the senior high.
For the 2017-2018 school year, IHS has six long-term exchange students. These students will be here for the entirety of the school year. The senior exchange students include Maja Sepacan, from Serbia, and Julia Ramoser, from Italy. In the junior class there are two exchange students, Emilia Alpers, from Germany, and Julia Costa, from Brazil. The two sophomore exchange students are Gema Nievas, from Spain and Sergio Lopez, who’s also from Spain.
Not only are the teachers and students of IHS enthusiastic about having the new exchange students, but the exchange students themselves are eager to learn and participate in everything IHS has to offer.
Junior Emilia Alpers, from Germany, is excited about being in the U.S. for the first time. She is part of the marching band here at IHS, and enjoys participating in the visual ensemble. Her favorite part about IHS so far is the amount of elective programs that the students have the ability to choose from.
Alpers says, “I like that it’s a small town. Everybody knows everybody and they’re all so friendly.”
Junior Julia Costa, who arrived last year in January from Brazil, will only be here for part of the 2017-2018 school year. She is both sad and excited about leaving this upcoming January. “There are a lot of things that I prefer and enjoy here in Indiana, but there are also a lot of things that I miss about my home in Brazil,” says Costa. “I will miss the people I’ve met… everyone is so unique and I’ll miss getting to see those people everyday.”
Senior Julia Ramoser, who is from Italy, emphasized the fact that IHS differs from her school in many ways. She likes that she has the ability to switch and go to a new teacher and new classroom, which is something she didn’t have in Italy. She says it allows her to meet more people and it gives her a variety of learning opportunities. Ramoser says, “The school spirit is definitely my favorite thing at IHS. The football games are so much fun, and I love the themes. We didn’t have that where I’m from, so I enjoy them.”
Not only is the high school passionate about having these new students here, but the school is thrilled to know that the exchange students are ecstatic about their learning opportunities.
[Photo by Emma Norman]
Photo Caption: “Seniors Maja Sepacan and Julia Ramoser gather with sophomore Gema Nievas for a group picture.”
