Professionals need to discuss issues with professionals and youth need to explore topics with other youth. That is why when Gulf Coast Diplomacy hosts short-term youth exchanges, part of the agenda goal is to include time at an American high school so international students can experience a day as an American teen in Northwest Florida.
One school which always welcomes our groups is Gulf Breeze High School and this is due in large part to the enthusiasm of Spanish Instructor Mary Montcalm. Montcalm has met with English-speaking, Spanish-speaking, and Portuguese-speaking groups and is always welcoming to the students.
Montcalm integrates the visiting youth into her class and allows students to give a tour of the school to the international teens and to explain what life is like there. She encourages everyone to use their language skills as they make connections with each other. Even with language barriers, “You can see how comfortable the visiting students are. At each classroom they visit, they talk about their families and lives,” according to Montcalm.
When international exchange students arrive in our community, locals benefit as well. Montcalm explains when students from Florida are introduced to new cultures, it is a first step to discovering more about themselves and the world. “It gives our students perspective and more opportunities to find out about other cultures,” she said. Meeting with native Spanish speakers encourages her own students to try harder at language learning.
Montcalm expressed gratitude at how these international exchange projects affect her students positively. Due to these interactions, she is even considering volunteering in Central America when she retires. Her final thought on U.S. Department of State youth programs is beautiful in its enthusiasm – “Keep them coming.”
