Students worldwide have come together at LT to connect, collaborate, and celebrate their diverse cultural backgrounds. The school community has many opportunities through its foreign exchange programs to allow students to gain knowledge and engage in exciting experiences.
“It was exactly like in the movies, and at that moment, I was in one of them. I couldn’t believe it, everything was perfect,” Spanish exchange student Valentina Batista Fernandez ‘27 said after attending her first LT football game. “The atmosphere in the stands, the cheerleaders, the people dressed in the appropriate theme, the players supporting the team, the football uniforms. Everything was perfect, like a dream.”
The selection process began in September of last year. She completed an application with her information and academic record, Fernandez said. The application requires very high grades, so she had to have one of the best academic records in the country. She was called for an English test, and after passing it, she was called for an interview to test her ability to go abroad for a year. Finally, in April of this year, she was given the news that she had been one of the 450 scholarship winners for Amancio Ortega’s scholarship program.
“I felt that I was always meant to come, despite leaving my whole life behind,” Fernandez said. “But one of my personal goals was to demonstrate to myself that I am able to succeed on my own merits and to test my limits, although I haven’t found them yet.”
The scholarship she received is from the Fundación Amancio Ortega, Fernandez said. Once she was awarded the scholarship, she was referred to an exchange program agency in Spain called Foreign Study League (FSL), and her U.S. agency is Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE). The last two are the ones that are most involved in her experience and how she is doing, following up with her on a monthly basis.
“It is beneficial for French students to come to LT because they share with us their culture and daily life in France,” French Exchange Sponsor Elizabeth Martinez said. “It is also important for our French students to hear native French speakers, as none of the LT French teachers are native speakers.”
There are two separate processes for the French exchange, Martinez said. First, there are students from LT who host. This can be anyone willing to host, even if they are not taking French. They apply through the company LT uses to facilitate: Language & Friendship. They then complete an interview process and reference check, and then select a student who they believe would be a good match for their family. The second part is when students from LT travel to France. Students who travel do not have to host a student, but they do receive a discount on their trip costs if they host.
“I wanted to be in charge of the program because I myself have been with a host family and I know the value of being an exchange student,” Martinez said. “I also enjoy hosting and sharing American culture with people from other countries and know it is a valuable experience for LT families. I have hosted both a student and a teacher from France and it’s a great experience.”