In 2019, MICDS joined a domestic exchange program through the Network of Complementary Schools, also known as “The Network.” The Network provides short-term exchange programs for member public and independent schools across the United States. Students attend classes, after-school and school sporting events, and visit sights around town with their host families.
The Network Exchange provides enriching experiences for high school students that aim to push them out of their comfort zones, encourage adventure, deliver multicultural experiences in a different school environment, and build independence. For example, a student who grows up in a rural Midwestern community can spend a week living and attending school in New York City. They can work on a farm in Kansas, go to a rodeo in Texas, or intern at a bank in an urban financial district. All students are encouraged to travel independently and navigate a new cultural environment.
In January, MICDS families hosted three students from the Bush School in Seattle, Washington, and Community High School in Roanoke, Virginia. Then, over spring break, it was our turn to launch two students to their destinations for the domestic exchange. Sophia Cernicek ’26 and Taylor Nuzum ’26 traveled to Pacific Northwest to attend the Bush School.
They spent ten days immersed in a new academic environment and schedule, visiting the Space Needle, Pike Place, and other local sights and learning new skills like glass blowing and music production.
Taylor appreciated the opportunity to visit Seattle and stay with a host family. “My host family was wonderful, and I made many friends that I have kept in contact with. I took many classes, including Spanish 3, Ensemble, Sound Design, Fire Arts, and my favorite, Women’s Studies. I did incredible things, including glass blowing and making and producing music. The Bush Campus was unique, yet not unfamiliar to our campus. The community was so welcoming and truly the experience of a lifetime. The only challenging aspect of the trip was my academic schedule, as it was not what I expected, but I still enjoyed it. I took Biology, and considering I have not taken any Biology classes, it was difficult to keep up. However, Seattle was beautiful, and I loved exploring the city, and my key takeaways from the trip were that experience taught me to step out of my comfort zone socially, and it brought me many great friends that I’m still in close contact with,” she said.
Erin Hamill, Director of Global Learning and Upper School Community Service, finds value in domestic exchanges as they are an excellent way for students to explore and immerse themselves in the cultural, racial, ethnic, socio-economic, and geographic diversity of our own country. She shared, “Traveling outside of the U.S. is not the only way students can open their eyes to new cultures and ideas. So, whether it be our students experiencing farm life in a small Kansas town or the west coast in Seattle, or our families hosting students from an all-boys Catholic school from New Jersey, students from Seattle, or an arts-focused school in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, our MICDS community has truly embraced this opportunity to get to know the different parts of the US and connect with people from cultures very different than our own.”
On the hosting side, the family of Nina Schuerer ’25 welcomed a student from the Bush School in January. She said, “Hosting an exchange student was such a great experience; there was no language barrier, so we really just got to be teenagers together. We saw various St. Louis staples, and having Ebelin here pushed my family to go out and see some things in our city we hadn’t visited before. We saw the Arch, the aquarium, the Foundry, and the Loop, and ate a ton of St. Louis food like toasted ravioli, Fitz’s root beer, gooey butter cake, and Clementine’s ice cream. I highly recommend this experience to anyone who just wants a friend to share a few weeks with! Ebelin and I are still in contact, and it was so interesting to see how different cultures can be even across the United States!”
Taylor echoed the sentiment of the fun nature of serving as a host family, “When Ellody came here in January, we immediately clicked. We had so much fun together, but it was difficult for me to introduce her to upperclassmen since she is a senior and I am a freshman. I strongly recommend going to Bush for students who want to study abroad but fear international travel. This experience allowed me to branch out and eliminate my fear of future exchange trips. Furthermore, the campus is beautiful and unique, and the people there are so kind. It was an experience I will never forget, and I will most definitely be returning to Seattle in, I hope, the near future,” she said.
Hamill is eager to continue the partnership with The Network. She said, “We look forward to welcoming more students to experience MICDS and our wonderful city and sending our students out to explore our amazing country in the years to come.”
Congratulations to our students on venturing out into a world of fresh perspectives and new connections within our borders. Thanks to all who participated in this year’s program!
Our last domestic exchange was in 2019. Learn more about the experience here!