'Fue maravilloso!'

The juniors and seniors enrolled in Edgemont’s Spanish classes who visited the Dominican Republic during February break all agree, it was fue maravilloso! 

The cultural immersion, now in its third year, has become a signature program of the World Languages department. Because the trip is personally shaped by Edgemont Spanish teacher Jedd Chesterson, who studied in the Dominican Republic, students experience both a family and a school environment, and much more.
 

The trip was more than tourism; it was a cultural exchange. 
 
A standout experience of the week was spending the day at Colegio Padre Emiliano Tardif. During the high school’s welcoming assembly, the Dominican students sang their national anthem, followed by Edgemont students who performed “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The visit also included races and challenges of teams including students from both schools, a Dominican-style lunch and a pool party! “It was so much fun watching the students bond,” said Chesterson. 
 
The following day, students from both schools visited Santiago’s City Hall. They not only participated in a simulation in the Municipal Council Chamber in which students proposed laws and put them to a vote, but they also met Mayor Ulises Rodríguez, a former high school teacher, who told them about the transformation of government in the Dominican Republic. 
 
“The students had a truly immersive experience,” said Chesterson. “They did more than speak Spanish, eat locrio de pollo and dance the merengue. They formed relationships with people from another culture. That’s transformative.”

 Thank you to Spanish teacher Sabrina Arevalo and also to Margaux Spinali and Corin Chesterson for chaperoning the trip.