Every other year, the language department holds a Spanish exchange; kids from Spain come to LS in September/October, and LS kids visit Spain in April. I had the opportunity to speak with Ms. Schultz, one of the Spanish teachers in charge of the Spanish exchange. “This current exchange has been going on since 2014,” Ms. Schultz said. An LS teacher who was originally from Spain had received a notice from the Spanish consulate, stating that the consulate was interested in starting an exchange with LS students. The teacher brought it to the attention of the other language teachers, and it has been running ever since.
When I asked Ms. Schultz how the exchange benefits students, she said that it allows the students to learn about different languages. “There is nothing like first hand immersion for learning language, and for expanding people’s horizons. The students learn about other cultures; they learn about the Spanish culture, and it totally opens up their eyes that there are teenagers, just like them, that live in alternate universes.” She also mentioned how many students made friends, many times even lifelong friends, because of the Spanish exchange. It allows LS students to meet people who they never would have otherwise, whether they be Spanish students, or LS students. She described it as a “bonding experience” for the students.
When Ms. Schultz was in college, she studied in Spain. The ability to “relive that through the eyes of my students, every time, is awesome.” She describes it as very rewarding, and when asked why she recommends that students try the Spanish exchange, she had several reasons. She explained that traveling is good for the mind and soul, you can improve on your language skills, you can make friends with people from other parts of the world, and finally, “you can expand your horizons as a person and go out of your comfort zone.”
The exchange lasts for 11-14 days. The qualifications are as follows: you must be taking Spanish and must continue Spanish the following year when the trip happens (i.e. if you are a sophomore, then you will take Spanish your junior year). It is also important to note that juniors and seniors receive priority because the exchange is only available every other year, which means that they won’t have another chance to participate. But that doesn’t mean that freshmen and sophomores can’t apply. Ms. Schultz highly recommends it, so go for it if you are interested!
