Spanish and French students are preparing to explore France and Spain at the end of March as part of the exchange program that West Chicago Community High School has brought back for 2023.

The Spanish exchange program will run from March 22 to April 3, with the French students leaving on March 23. German students will look forward to traveling abroad in June when German schools are in session.

Students have been able to communicate with their host families via social media. They have attended several informational meetings over the past months in order to prepare themselves for a successful visit.

“The exchange program has always run really smoothly; we’ve had this relationship with this school in Spain, in Soria, for about 17 or 18 years. So, having worked together so many different times, it makes it run really, really well,” said Sarah Gill, a Spanish teacher who will also chaperone the students who leave for Spain.

Students will have the opportunity to attend classes abroad, discuss their lives in the United States, and give presentations to both middle and elementary school classes.

“Many of the students have never traveled without their families before, or have never been outside of the United States, and so both of those things can be challenging. So, I try to prepare them as much as possible,” said Gill.