This past fall, Shaker High School hosted approximately 46 exchange students from Germany and Russia.

During the students’ two-week stay in the United States, they stayed with Shaker families and attended classes at both the junior high and high school.

What Shaker High School students didn’t realize was that by hosting an exchange student, they would have the opportunity to learn not only about other cultures, but about themselves as well.

John Kyratzis, a 12th grade Russian student at Shaker High School, went away to Russia last year with the district’s exchange program.

This year, he hosted a student from Russia, so he already had an idea of what to expect.

"Hosting a student forces you to deal with a lot of people from different backgrounds," said Kyratzis. "It gives you insight into how people think and what they do."

Eleventh grade Russian student Elizabeth Reuss has never been over to Russia, but plans to go sometime in the future.

This past fall, she learned a lot about herself when having a Russian student stay with her family for the two weeks. "Hosting an exchange student, or going to another country gets you out of your little bubble," said Reuss. "You learn a lot about yourself, especially with patience, and about your future."

"It breaks the mold of the way you are," added Reuss. "You think, ‘Wow, how can I use this?’"

Diana Hummel, an 11th grade German student is awaiting her chance to go overseas. "It is a great way to experience different cultures," said Hummel. "It is a new change of scenery."

Hummel also added that hosting an exchange student will help her to deal with sharing a room with a college roommate after high school.

Jennifer Hahn, an eleventh grade German student was surprised at what the exchange students thought of the United States.

"We went to Homecoming and they loved it," said Hahn. "It was the typical U.S. high school experience. They said that it was just like in the movies!"

"It is a really good chance to expand your horizons," added Hahn. "Latham is our perspective. Sometimes we don’t look beyond our street or our school."

While the exchange program offers opportunities for Shaker High School students, organizing the program for the teachers is a lot of work.

"The time and work that the teachers put in to pull all of this together is exceptional," said Foreign Language Department Supervisor Galina Kats. "Going away to another country is an enormous responsibility to watch out for the well-being of the students for two weeks."

High School Russian Teacher Anna Shkaf, who grew up in Russia and came over to teach Russian at Shaker in 1991, says that the exchange trips are educational and captivating for students and teachers alike.

"Going over to another country helps to show students the things that we try to project in the classroom and brings it into their real world," said Shkaf.

When the Russian and German exchange students came to visit in the fall, Shkaf and other dedicated teachers helped to plan trips to New York City, Boston and Niagara Falls to ensure a similar experience.

"We try to make the exchange experience for each individual most positive," said Shkaf. "Some end up being a perfect match, and sometimes it’s an effort. In most cases, students find their dreams, desires and this experience changes the way that they perceive the world."