Saint Patrick Welcomes Students from The Rochester School
On Thursday, August 25th, Saint Patrick welcomed four eighth grade students— three boys and one girl— from The Rochester School in Bogota, Colombia as part of our exchange program, now in its sixth year. For nine weeks, the Colombian students will live with a Wolfhound host family, attend classes, participate in extracurricular activities, and experience life as an American teenager. The exchange experience was kicked off with a barbeque at the home of a host family and a day trip to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg.
The program would not be possible without our wonderful host families and their willingness to welcome exchange students into their homes. Santiago will stay with the Aldridge family, Daniel will stay with the Larkin family, Sofia will stay with the Scheneman family, and Nayib will stay with the Trudell family.
Students that have participated in the program have made lasting ties to their host families and to our Wolfhound community. The relationships formed during the exchange experience have led to a heightened interest in students from both schools. Two of our Columbian students here this year have siblings that have participated in the program in prior years.
Saint Patrick Catholic School and The Rochester School in Colombia share similar educational philosophies—both are independent Catholic schools and Glasser Quality Schools. Each school has unique features that compliment the exchange experience. Saint Patrick’s religious program offers weekly chapel or Mass whereas the Rochester School offers a Choice Theory course to students, both aspects adding to students’ self-reflection. Both schools emphasize environmental stewardship. Saint Patrick offers many outdoor learning opportunities while the Rochester School is a LEED certified campus, featuring their own garden, solar panels, and wastewater treatment center.
Several Wolfhounds will be traveling to Colombia in October for a five week program. We know they will be warmly welcomed and are prepared to adapt to life in a foreign country. We look forward to supporting all of our students in their growth in the coming weeks!
Parishes We Serve
Saint Patrick Catholic School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Saint Patrick Catholic School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.