Dexter elementary students celebrate reading month with international exchange students

Celebrating Reading Month got a unique twist for some Dexter second-graders when a group of international exchange students paid a visit to Anchor and Beacon elementary schools.

International students from Spain, Italy and the Czech Republic, who attend Dexter High School, visited six classrooms on March 20, to promote literacy as March is National Reading month across the country. These students talked about life in their home countries, their native languages, some of their experiences so far in America, and also read to the classes in their native languages.

The students were Lisa Feltracco of Italy, Marta Primo Fos of Spain, Eugenio Martinez Tircio of Spain, Marina Rodriguez Martinez of Spain, Alberto Santonocito of Italy and Matyas Toulec from the Czech Republic.

The students are part of the largest international student exchange program in the country, Educatius. This program has been at DHS for over 10 years, and during that time has brought in dozens of students from around the world to Dexter as well as to Chelsea and Saline high Schools.

The Sun Times News (STN) paid a visit to one classroom where teacher Maureen Kline and her group of second-graders were very excited and curious to have guests. The guests to their room were Lisa and Marta. It didn’t take for the students to begin raising their hands in wanting to ask a question.

Both Lisa and Marta read them a story and gave a slide presentation with photographs and images that gave some insight into life in Italy and Spain. Marta read the story “Maria Had a Little Llama / María Tenía Una Llamita,” which is a bilingual illustrative book by Angela Dominguez. Kline asked the children if they recognized what this story might be like, which was answered with, “Mary had a Little Lamb.”

About the visit, Lisa told the Sun Times News, “It was really cool, I enjoyed talking to the kids and answering to their fun questions! It was a great experience and I really enjoyed it! And I think that if there's a chance to do it another time or have a similar experience I definitely would do it again!”

Marta said, “I thought it was a very fun activity in which both the children and I learned and I could tell that they were very interested in learning about other countries.”

DHS exchange student Lisa Feltracco of Italy talks with Beacon second-graders while fellow exchange student Marta Primo Fos of Spain at left looks on. photo by Lonnie Huhman

STN asked Kline about the reaction and feedback she heard from her students.

Here are some of the comments she gave to STN from the second-graders:

“It was interesting to hear their accents and to hear them speak in another language.”

“One had only heard Spanish counted 1-10, and enjoyed hearing more words in Spanish.”

“Learned how exchange students work.”

“They are not strangers anymore, they are friends.”

“Learned how to say hi in Italian - "Chao"

“Learned Spain and Italy are close together.”

“Learned it's expensive to travel here from those countries.”

“Learned that those kids took English classes for many years.”

“It's a 12 hour plane ride.”

The exchange program has been an important one, but it does need some help along the way. They are in great need of finding host families in Dexter (and also Chelsea and Saline) for next year.

To learn more go to https://www.educatius.org/
or https://www.educatius.org/Host-Families, or contact: jylnolan.educatius@gmail.com.