Summer Schooling: Maple Grove, Chautauqua Lake students embark on international cultural exchange
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Three local students, two from Maple Grove Middle/High School and one from Chautauqua Lake Central School, are finding themselves in new and unfamiliar places this summer -- Valladolid, Spain.
The students are participating in an international exchange program that has been years in the making, set to strengthen connections between Western York and Valladolid, Spain. The students, Reiley Kirchoff and Gianna Mistretta from Maple Grove and Rebecca Ames from Chautauqua Lake, are participating in a collaborative exchange program with United Cultures Language School in Valladolid, Spain. The program, as the result of a three-year collaboration between Heather Espeso, director of United Cultures Language School, Jessica Cowan, school counselor at Chautauqua Lake Central School, and Adam Padd, principal of Maple Grove Middle High School, will provide students with an opportunity to experience another culture while building friendships, developing language skills, and gaining a broader understanding of the world, along with creating meaningful international learning opportunities that extend far beyond the traditional classroom.
"This program is about much more than travel," Padd said. "It gives students the opportunity to live another culture, practice language in authentic settings, and develop relationships that help them see the world from a different perspective. These experiences create lifelong memories while helping students become more confident, compassionate, and globally aware citizens."
The program will allow for students from both countries to experience daily life in another culture and country, with July seeing the students in the program from Spain traveling to the United States, staying with their host families, attending community events, and experiencing American traditions firsthand. In August, the American students travel to Spain and reunite with their exchange partners, living with their families in Valladolid while participating in cultural, educational, and language immersion activities.
Some of the involved students shared their excitement for the opportunity.
"I’m so honored to be a part of this program," Kirchoff said. "This opportunity will allow me to learn many new things. It will allow me to not only learn a new language and expand my vocabulary but to build character and so much more. I'm so excited for the friends I will make on the way. Thank you to those who made this an opportunity for me and many other kids possible."
Mistretta shared her excitement as well, adding that the program will help her develop in many ways.
"I am very excited to go to Spain," Mistretta said. "This is a very well built program and overall just a great opportunity to build relationships, connections, and explore a new country. This trip will better my Spanish and I will get to experience what it is like to live in another culture."
The Cultural and Educational Enrichment Program is specifically designed to broaden students' perspectives by exposing them to new customs, traditions, languages, and educational experiences. Living with host families allows participants to experience everyday life in another country while forming lasting international friendships. Throughout the exchange, students participate in activities that highlight the history, culture, cuisine, and traditions of each country. They also gain valuable communication skills by practicing Spanish and English in authentic, real-world situations, making language learning both meaningful and memorable.
"Watching students step outside of their comfort zones and develop confidence through these experiences has been incredibly rewarding," Cowan said. "The friendships they build and the cultural understanding they gain will stay with them long after they return home."
Espeso added to that, saying the program emphasizes full cultural immersion. Students are encouraged to engage with their host families, participate in daily routines, and embrace experiences that cannot be replicated in a classroom. These authentic interactions foster confidence, independence, and cross-cultural understanding.
Superintendent of both Bemus Point and Chautauqua Lake schools, Josh Liddell expressed his gratitude to everyone who worked hard to make the program possible for these students.
"We are so grateful to everyone whose hard work and dedication brought this partnership to life, and we are proud of Reiley, Gianna, and Rebecca for embracing this opportunity," Liddell said. "We know they will represent our schools and communities with pride, and we look forward to hearing about all they learn and experience when they return home."