The Perse Exchange Students Loved SA!

By: Judy Stewart, Global Studies Program Coordinator

Four students from The Perse School in Cambridge, England, along with their chaperone, Ms. Helen Large, arrived in Pittsburgh on March 23 for a two week stay. Their visit was part of the inbound portion of the Perse Exchange.

The first part of the exchange was a resounding success! Shruthi, Henry, Isaac, and Megan felt at home on our campus right from the start. In their short time in town, students experienced softball games, a trip to an Escape Room, brunch at Pamela's Diner, a trip to the Carnegie Science Center: Highmark SportsWorks, lunch at Primanti Brothers, a visit to Falling Water, a meeting with Head of School Kolia O’Connor, and a special class with Head of Senior School Dr. Peter Lau. The students gave presentations about the exchange to Grade 8 students. Ms. Large observed a health class, worked beside strength and conditioning instructor Ivan White in the training room, and enjoyed spending time with the PE faculty during their classes. Ms. Large, ably hosted by Grade 4 teacher Kalyn Whelan and her husband, Marc, was also entertained by faculty who hosted her out to dinner or lunch, joined in the fun at the Escape Room, and helped show her a good time around Pittsburgh. It was truly a team effort – thank you!
 
When talking about their observations on the differences between their own school and Sewickley Academy, comments such as, “Students here have a lot of free time!, “Your cafeteria food is delicious!,” and "Your campus is huge!" were frequently heard. They had a glimpse of Pittsburgh's changeable weather as it was alternatively warm, cold and rainy, and sunny again. 
 
In June, Sewickley Academy students will take part in the outbound portion of the exchange as they travel to Cambridge to be reunited with their partners. Students will explore and immerse themselves in the modern culture and historical traditions of England. Day trips include Oxford and London, where students will tour St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tate Modern, Buckingham Palace, Bodleian Library, Cambridge colleges and Blenheim Palace, to name a few.
 
The value of bringing short-term exchange students to our campus is found first and foremost in the friendships that are made between the students and their hosts – on both sides of the exchange. Educating our students to take advantage of these opportunities in order to interact with students from a different culture or background is one of the goals of the Global Studies program. We see the fruits of this process in the growth of the exchange program. Many thanks to the faculty and administration for their part in making this exchange a success. 
 
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