Courtesy of Park City Day School
Five Park City Day School students recently traveled to Bogota, Colombia for a two-week cultural exchange program at Colegio Los Nogales, an independent K-12 school.
This marked the second half of the exchange program, which began in March when seven students from Bogota traveled to Park City and stayed with Park City Day School families for 10 days. Five seventh grade students and one teacher resided with the same families of students who had visited Park City in March.
Student participants were Solara Allen, Evie Brennan, Lennon Geels, Harlow McCutcheon and Rylah Ramsey. Kindergarten teacher Liz Rodgers accompanied them.
The exchange program, facilitated by Park City Day School’s affiliation with Round Square, a global network of 250 schools, offers students opportunities to understand a new and different culture. “It was a great way for me to grow as a student and an amazing way to forge new relationships in faraway places. I feel more cultured,” said Lennon Geels, a seventh grader on the trip.”
“Our students learn so many life skills by participating in these trips,” said Brad McCutcheon, head of school at PCDS. “The opportunity to experience something a bit out of your comfort zone creates global citizens who appreciate cultural differences. They learn to be adaptable, empathetic, and curious about the world around them,”
Student Evie Brennan said she was happy and grateful to have gone and that she will remember it her entire life. “Being able to travel and compare where you come from to different places is really eye-opening,” Brennan said.
Harlo McCutcheon, student, remarked that Colegio Los Nogales was right in the middle of a busy city environment in Bogota. “We had to be able to adapt,” McCutcheon said. “It was scary at first, but the students and families there made us feel so welcome. I feel like I have a family in Colombia.”
Highlights of the trip included visiting Guatavita, an alpine lake town, Villa de Leyva, a famous colonial town dating back to the 1600s, and the 10,000-foot high mountain in the center of Bogota called Monserrate, as well as sights throughout the city.
Every year, Park City Day School participates in Round Square exchanges in which PCDS families host international students in Park City, and PCDS students travel internationally to another school in the consortium.
For more information about Park City Day School and Round Square, visit parkcitydayschool.org.
