St. Louis School welcomes exchange students from Mississippi

Last Tuesday, June 20, St. Louis School hosted two exchange students from Dehonian schools for the first time. Kade Whisenhunt and Doryan Didier Pierre-Noel, from Sacred Heart School in Mississippi (United States), are learning about Brazilian culture and participating in 8th grade classes and activities. They came to Brazil with their teacher Ms. Ann Lovelace.

The School Principal, Father Silvano João da Costa, states the joy of receiving the students, being able to share both knowledge and national culture. “Just before the 120th anniversary of the foundation of our institution, we are happy to welcome exchange students from a Dehonian school. It is an opportunity of immeasurable knowledge to everyone and the interchange of experiences is spectacular,” said Father Silvano.

According to the Principal, the expectation is that this first experience in Brazil will reinforce the importance of the internationalization trend, thus stimulating other institutions that are part of the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (SCJ) in the world to also being open to the project. “I hope that new opportunities will take place. We are ready to receive students and willing to provide our students with the expansion of knowledge, which occurs when we discover new horizons,” Fr. Silvano stressed

The Bilingual Methodology Coordinator of St. Louis School, teacher Mariane Werner Zen, visited Sacred Heart School on January. Now it was her turn to welcome the international visitors. “Our exchange program is very significant because it promotes educational fulfillment and experiences that go beyond the classroom. It may seem like there is a big difference at first, but then you realize that despite the geographical and language differences, the teenagers face the same challenges. They have very similar moments of happiness, fear, and insecurity. The more knowledge they acquire, the more respect and the less judgments they experience,” said teacher Mariane.

Common details

Teacher Mariane lists the similarities between St. Louis School and Sacred Heart School. “The Dehonian office that manages the southern region of the United States is located in Mississippi. Here we also happen to be close to formation centers for future priests of the Congregation,” explained the teacher.

She also pointed out that during their stay in Brusque the American students visited the Seminaries in Corupá and Rio Negrinho, and the Novitiate in Jaraguá do Sul. The objective was to deepen their knowledge on the principles and spirituality that guide the Dehonian schools in Brazil and in the world.

Experience

For the first time in Brazil, students Doryan and Kade had expectations about the culture, the school, and the classmates they would meet in Brusque. In January, the two met the exchange students from St. Louis School, who also spent three weeks in Mississippi.

“Before I came here I thought people didn’t speak English all that much and that they would be more shy. But I was well accepted and I have been talking normally with the students. They are all very attentive and kind,” declared Doryan. 

He also says that he was impressed with the structure of the school and the topics covered in the classroom. “The teachers are really nice and the lessons are very meaningful. In Mississippi we are learning the same things in the math classes,” the student revealed.

The Brazilians’ fluency in English also caught Kade’s attention, as he could count on the help of his classmates to understand the subject better. “It is amazing how well everyone speaks English. I thought they would only master the basics, but they all talk to me about different topics easily. They also help me in class when I don’t understand something,” said the student. 

Ms. Ann also emphasizes her delight with the results achieved by the bilingual methodology. While visiting the kindergarten classes, she noticed that even the youngest students are already familiar with the language. “Even the students in the early grades were able to talk to me without trouble. This surprised me a lot, because I thought that, since English is not their first language, it would be more difficult to communicate. I was wrong”, declared the teacher.

Exchange approved

At the start of this week, Doryan and Kade return to the United States with lots of memories with their new friends, knowledge, and great stories to tell. Both emphasize that the experience was very exciting and unforgettable. Now, they have become the project’s promoters, encouraging their classmates to have the same experience. 

“What I liked most was getting to know a new culture and discovering new places. I will definitely be saying how wonderful Brazil is,” stated Doryan.

Kade was excited about this great adventure too. “I was so lucky to be here, it was amazing. I encourage the students to go on an exchange if they have the opportunity. It’s worth it,” the student concluded.