Exciting Student Exchange to Italy

Details: Published: 20 November 2024

Italty1 Italy4

It just a matter of days, 17 students from Years 10 to 12, along with three teachers and three parents, will embark on a once-in-a-lifetime journey to Italy. This marks our first student exchange trip since COVID, and excitement is building!

Key organiser Carla Stevens, our Italian teacher, and ��Ů�� Manager Lisa Kerr have worked closely with the Greater Shepparton City Council’s Economic Development team, who generously arranged gift bags for our students to present to their host families. These bags include First Nations artworks, local merchandise, and reading materials showcasing our vibrant agricultural and farming region. A heartfelt thank you to Council for their support.

Special thanks also go to Ms Stevens, Lisa Rowe, Francesca Rivetti, and the entire team for their hard work and fundraising efforts leading up to this trip. This included the assistance of the students themselves, as well as our Environmental Student Leaders to raise money through the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme.

Among the eager travellers are Tara Comline and Lachlan Gribble. Year 10 student Lachlan shared: “I am excited to explore Italy and immerse myself in another culture, especially the homestay experience that will show me the daily life of an Italian student.”

For Tara, also in Year 10 student, the trip holds additional significance as she will be accompanied by her sister Samantha, who is in Year 12. With their mother being Italian, this trip will be their first visit to Italy, making it even more special.

For most of the students, this will be their first overseas trip. Carla highlighted that this exchange offers an incredible opportunity to apply their Italian language skills in real-world contexts while gaining firsthand experience of the culture they’ve studied.

Each student will have a ‘trip jacket’ detailing the itinerary, which includes exciting stops like:

One week at our sister school in La Spezia
Venice, with its gondola rides and rich traditions
The snow in the Alps
Exploring local craftsmanship in leather, jewellery, masks and lace
Charming Christmas villages
Historical sites in Rome, Pompeii, and Florence

Additionally, students will engage in a geographical and cultural project, fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration between cities to strengthen our partnerships for the future.

Our Italian Students will act as language ambassadors, helping their peers navigate the language and culture and our Auslan students will have the opportunity to explore Italian sign language and share their experiences with Italian students.

The students said they hope to build their Italian language skills by being completely absorbed in the culture and applying the language into real life practical experiences. They have been preparing for the trip by focusing on refining their language communication skills, undertaking workshops on Italian customs, etiquette and social norms and well as team building activities to strengthen the bond within the travel group before the trip.

Ms Stevens is particularly eager to see how this experience impacts the students and the new perspectives it brings. We look forward to hosting Italian students here in September 2025 as a gesture of goodwill.

Wishing all participants, a fun and safe trip!

��Ů��

Contact

Info