Hamburg Area High School has received national recognition for excellence in global education from EF High School Exchange Year, the leader in high school exchange.
The EF High School Exchange Year Global Education Excellence Award is presented annually to high schools that demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to international understanding and global awareness. Hamburg Area High School was one of a select group of high schools recognized across the United States for the 2014-15 school year.
“Hamburg Area High School has shown an outstanding commitment to offering a global education,” said Dan Sodervall, President of EF High School Exchange Year. “By welcoming exchange students into the classrooms, Hamburg Area High School has created new and unique learning opportunities not just for the exchange students, but for the American students and faculty as well.”
This year, Hamburg Area High School welcomed two EF High School Exchange Year exchange students, Hinada Yoshida and Marcel Grandau. Not only were the students accepted into the school, they became an integral part of the school’s academic and extracurricular life, involving the greater community in the exchange experience.
“My experience at Hamburg was amazing,” said Marcel. “I was able to participate in soccer and tennis. I do have similar activities in school in Germany, but I play soccer in a club rather than on a school team. One of the things I appreciate most about my experience at Hamburg was soccer season with my team and my coach. I hated history until I came to Hamburg. My history teacher, Mr. Kline, made my day, every day, and he changed my mind. History is now my favorite subject. I also helped Mrs. Stevens in her German class. It was nice to share my culture and knowledge of the German language with the students at Hamburg. I will never forget my time in Hamburg, and I know I will always be welcomed there. As a matter of fact, my mother and I are planning to come back to visit the Hamburg area next summer.”
Local exchange coordinator, Sheryle Delewski, added, “We thank Hamburg Area High School for welcoming this year’s students from around the globe. The community and visiting students shared an unforgettable experience thanks to the generosity of Hamburg’s administration, teachers, students and families.”
Headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., EF High School Exchange Year has been committed to promoting international understanding and global awareness for more than 30 years. The organization brings more students to the United States each year than any other high school exchange program. Since 1979, EF High School Exchange Year has matched more than 100,000 enthusiastic students from around the world with caring host families across the United States.
To learn more about getting involved with high school exchange, contact EF High School Exchange Year local coordinators Sheryle and Scott Delewski at 610-562-8801. You may also call the EF High School Exchange Year main office at 1-800-447-4273 or visit www.efexchangeyear.org
