Barnesville School Welcomes Students from Peru

Barnesville eighth graders visited the Embassy of Peru along with newly arrived exchange students from the Leonardo Da Vinci School (LDVS) located in Lima, Peru.

Barnesville has a long-standing student foreign exchange program with LDVS. Seventh and eighth grade students from Peru visit Barnesville for three weeks in January and February. They live with a host student’s family, attend classes, and participate in planned activities and field trips. In June and July, three or four Barnesville Middle School students have a similar opportunity to travel to Peru— staying with host families, attending classes at LDVS, and learning about the rich history and culture of Peru. Barnesville partners with Green Acres School (North Bethesda) each year to broaden the exchange community and opportunities for students in both countries.
At the Embassy, Mr. Patricio Lindeman, a diplomat in the Public Diplomacy Department gave a presentation about Peru’s culture, economy and history, and the students asked questions afterwards.

Middle School Social Studies Teacher Michael Nelson said, “I thought visiting an embassy with students from that country was a really unique opportunity to explain the role embassies play in global politics, building cross-cultural understanding and nurturing relationships. I think everyone has a better understanding of the role they play as de-facto ambassadors for our respective countries.”

The exchange students from Peru arrived last Friday, just in time for the first snowstorm of 2019. With their first day of school cancelled, they got a chance to spend a little more time getting to know their host families while also having fun in the snow -- a first for most of them.

Jeison Gonzalez, who teaches third through eighth grade Spanish at Barnesville, is coordinating this year’s exchange program which will include visits to many of the museums and historical sites in and around Washington, D.C.

“This is my second year coordinating the program and I have to say it is awesome,” Gonzalez said. “It is not only about the language, but also about all the cultural knowledge the kids get from this experience. Sharing three weeks with someone from a different country is always a great learning opportunity. Also, seventh and eighth graders get to make lasting friendships with new people. Plus, it’s a motivating opportunity for those who would like to travel to Peru over the summer.”
As Barnesville students get to know our visitors this week, they will discover that they share many of the same interests (photos are on Facebook).

Alexia plays piano and ukulele and enjoys gymnastics, riding roller coasters, and going out with friends. Her sister, Ariana, participated in the exchange program at Barnesville School a few years ago. She has a cat (Manchas) anda dog (Lola).

Gianluca plays soccer and basketball. He also enjoys video games, movies, social media, and fashion. Both of his sisters (Alejandra and Adriana) have participated in the exchange program.

Isabel enjoys playing guitar and drums. Like her friend Alexia, she also does gymnastics. She is thinking about studying medicine, and her favorite TV show is Grey’s Anatomy. Her brother, Ismael, is in 4th grade. She also as a dog (Noni).

Vicenzo’s hobbies include flying drones, building Legos, reading comics, playing video games, and practicing sports such as basketball. His older sister, Illari just graduated from high school in December and also participated in the program. He has a dog (Domus), a small Maltese.

Their chaperone, Magdalena Veran, is an English teacher at LDVS who is visiting Barnesville for her seventh time, staying with Director of Admissions and Advancement Debbie Don. Magdalena experienced the program as a parent when her son Abraham came to Barnesville in 2014, and as a host to Emily K. (Barnesville Class of 2015) in the summer of 2014. She and Abraham also hosted Seth (Barnesville Class of 2015) when he returned to Peru in high school.

Barnesville students treasure friendships made with LDVS students and maintain contact through email and social media. They share their experiences and introduce their new friends to other Barnesville students so the cultural exchange continually enriches the broader school community.

Barnesville School of Arts & Sciences is an independent private school in Montgomery County, Maryland offering innovative preschool through 8th grade programs. Cross-curricular teaching encourages students to explore how subjects relate to one another, helping them to make connections that spark inquiry and deepen understanding. Small classes enable skilled teachers to engage each child in an academically challenging environment. Our 30-acre campus is our extended classroom, and we integrate nature into everyday learning.