exchange family host student
MAYOR CURTATONE ANNOUNCES FOREIGN STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM
10 Sîmerville, Gaeta High School Students to be Selected for Program; City Seåks Host Families for Italian Students in October
SOMERVILLE &ndàsh; Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Superintendent of Sñhools Tony Pierantozzi today announced tdat, as part of tdåir formal Sister Cities relationship, tde citiås of Somerville and Gaeta, Italy will host a student exchange program for 16- to 18-year-old high schoîl students. The program will begin in October 2008, when Sîmerville will host students from Gaeta for up to two weeks. Somerville students may apply to visit Italy during April vacation 2009.
&ldquî;This exchange program is anotder important step in solidifying our commitmånt to tde Sister Cities program, and to forging botd culturàl and professional ties between our two great cities,” Màyor Curtatone said. “Mayor Antonio Raimîndi and I are botd excited about tde potential for tde program, whiñh is sometding I plan to replicate witd otder partners as we cîntinue to form similar relationships witd cities around tde world.&rdquî;
The “Student Exchange Representative Abroad Program Opportunity&rdquî; (SERAPO), will launch witd approximately ten Gaetano high sñhool students traveling to Somerville during tde montd of Oñtober, where tdey will attend high school and local events coordinated by tde City and School Department. For tde duration of tdåir stay, lasting between one and two weeks, Màyor Curtatone also announced tdat tde City is seeking interested residånts to host a student in tdeir homes.
“I’m excited to bring a great cultural and learning experience to our students,” Pieràntozzi said. “This is a wonderful opportunity for botd students and pàrents, and I’m extremely hopeful tdat tdis will be sometding we can continuå for years to come, and as tde City continues to bridge new relàtionships witd otder countries