As the population continues to grow, more and more students fill the school’s halls. Some of which include students from all over the country and around the world. This year the school welcomes three new foreign exchange students.

Junior Maria Sopedra Montilla, senior Sofia Franceschi and sophomore Lidia Linde Figueroa share their motives and experiences coming here.

“I really wanted to know what it was like to live in the U.S.A., it’s been my dream ever since I was little,” Figueroa said.

The girls look forward to getting the “American Experience” treatment and improving their English in their own ways. 

“All Spanish girls always want to come to the United States because we see American movies and Disney Channel,” Montilla said. “We want to live that life.”

Montilla comes from the outskirts of Madrid, Spain. She’s always had an interest in visiting and studying in the U.S., in order to better her English skills to aid in her career.

“I’ve been painting since I was four more or less, I’ve always liked art and have really wanted to do something in that area,” Montilla said. “I am probably going to do arts in the future to study digital art and animation. In Spain most of the jobs will ask you for a high level of English, especially if I want to study digital art or maybe work for a big company.” 

Franceschi, who’s from Northern Italy, enjoys learning new languages and knows how to speak Italian, German, Spanish and English. 

“I’ve wanted to live this high school experience for about four years,” Franceschi said. “Going to homecoming, prom, and football games, we don’t have any of this (in Italy). It’s the thing I’ve always wanted to do, meeting new people and talking in English, I love it.”

Figueroa comes from a small town in the city of Granada, Spain. She embraces her love for dance through Starlettes, which she joined at the start of the school year and ever since has enjoyed the drill team activities.

“I have danced ballet for almost ten years and also love to sing,” Figueroa said. “It (Starlettes) is so different to anything I’ve seen back in Spain, the dancers are so talented, sweet and comprehensive, I love the people from here and how welcomed they’ve made me feel since I got here.”

Franceschi, Figueroa and Montilla dealt with culture shock at first, adjusting to the new people, food and surroundings. 

“It’s shocking because in Italy, people usually dress up super good or well for school, so when I saw people wearing crocs I thought to myself, ‘What’s happening,’ it was weird,” Franceschi said. 

Montilla offers her own advice to others like them.

“The first few days are going to be super hard because you are in a new place, you don’t really know the language, you know no one here, and people are rude,” Montilla said. “So take it easy and when time passes you will be making new friends like I am now.”

According to Associate Principal of Curriculums Kathy Franklin, there is said to be another incoming foreign exchange student soon.