Benjamin Middle Schoolers Host Colombian Exchange Students

Marti Lotman
Middle School students from schools across Colombia  travelled to the Benjamin School on February 3 for an immersive experience in American culture, customs and academics. Travel for the mission group, “Gente del Futuro,” or “People of the Future,” was coordinated by middle school world language teacher Diana Rios. Rios’s nephew, Sebastian Diaz Rios, was part of the nine student group who spent the day at Benjamin.

“Es muy organizada y muy bonita,” Sebastian Diaz Rios said of the Benjamin campus. (Translation: It is very organized and pretty).  

Benjamin students took their Colombian visitors on a bilingual tour of campus where they practiced their Spanish speaking skills. After sharing lunch together, the students took turns giving presentations in both English and Spanish in front of their peers.

“This was an opportunity to help students embrace diversity, understand differences and show appreciation and respect for others. For my Spanish students in particular, I wanted them to practice Spanish, make an effort in communicating in Spanish in a real-life situation, establish connections, make cultural comparisons, be understanding of some cultural differences, and understand body language and reactions of people that do not speak our same language,” Rios said of the program.

Rios says seeing the excitement of the Benjamin students was the highlight of the day for her.

“This was a wonderful experience for me and I hope it was for the students as well.”


Back
A premier PK3 - Grade 12 independent, coeducational day school with campuses in North Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens. Since 1960, The Benjamin School has provided a challenging college preparatory education to a diverse student body in a structured, nurturing community environment.
 
After hours emergency contact:
Leslie Downs/Chief Operating Officer
Ph:  561.657.0075 or 561.747.0585