Last week, the Sister School Project kicked off for the first time here at West Boca! 19 Italian students came to school with us for a week, and later this spring, about 20 of us will visit their school in Tuscany!
West Boca’s Italian teacher, Dr. De Tollis, offered the opportunity to her upperclassmen students through FATI (Florida Association of Teachers of Italian), where she is a longstanding president.
For a short but exciting week, the Italian kids stayed with the families of our West Boca students who participated in the program. The Italian students joined us in our classes, where they got to see the difference between the lectures in Italy and the U.S. We also gave them a tour of our academies: digital design, where students experimented with Photoshop; culinary, where they got to try their famous
cookies; and medical, where they participated in a dissection.
They were amazed by how our school runs, with all the different academies under one roof, because in Italy, there are different schools designed for various career paths. The students who joined us are from Liceo Giovanni da Castiglione (Liceo Scientifico), a scientific high school where their courses are focused on a STEM curriculum. So, having art, sports, and music-related classes in one was fascinating to them.
The students constantly said they felt inside an American film. To add to their feelings, they joined us at the start of our first pep rally and spirit week. They danced and introduced themselves at our pep rally, attended their first tailgate, saw an American football game for the first time, and ended the week with our homecoming dance. They were in awe, as it’s completely different from what they have in Italy, where they don’t have school-spirited activities like dances or pep rallies. West Boca student, Alana Clarke, said, “This experience taught me so much about Italy and its beautiful culture. I’ve gained unforgettable memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.”
The American students hosting the kids showed them around Florida, along with their school principal, Sauro Tavarnesi, and with teachers Claudi Tiezzi, Sara Salvadori. They went on trips to
Miami, the Sawgrass Mall, and the Everglades. For most of them, it was their first time in the United States. So, we also took them to Sky Zone, Raising Cane’s, IHOP, and the cookie place they were all desperate to try, Crumbl. We had a blast showing them these places, and according to Camila Balcarce, “This experience taught me many things about Italy and the U.S and has given me friends I will never forget.”
The American hosts did their best to make the Italians feel welcomed and live their American dream, as Gabriela Lazo declares, “I’m so grateful to have met this group of people and experience something new.” Now we can’t wait to go there and live our Italian Summer! Once we are there, we will have Italian classes at their school in Castiglio Forentino. We will be hosted by their families, and will go on excursions to the surrounding towns like Cortona, Arrezo, Siena, and Florence, towns known for their medieval essences. We will dive into their culture by participating in carnivals and creating papier-mache masks.
This program is such an exciting cultural experience, and I can’t wait to continue it later this spring, as my Italian teacher, Dr. De Tollis, says, “It’s a really great program that allows both American students and Italian students to experience a real and unique exchange of culture, language, and Idioligy”.
We miss our Italian kids so much! I am so glad to have participated in this program that built long-lasting friendships and memories, and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in such a unique
experience! As Mariana Gonzales also says, “Hosting the Italian students was such a memorable experience. I loved getting to know them and sharing our cultures—it’s something I’ll never forget.”
This cultural exchange opportunity will be offered again next year, so if you’re a freshman, sophomore, or junior, stay tuned, and if interested, contact Dr. De Tollis at: [email protected]
