10
schools
october19
2017
Meet the Exchange Students
Each year Vernonia welcomes a
collection of foreign exchange students
to our community. Students from around
the globe will spend this school year at-
tending Vernonia High School, play-
ing sports, participating in communi-
ty and school activities, and building,
what sometimes become, lifelong
friendships. This year 13 exchange
students are calling Vernonia home.
Vernonia’s Voice is pleased to intro-
duce this second group of students to
the rest of the community.
trip to the U.S., but he has traveled in
Europe, visiting Germany and Croatia.
“I like it here in Vernonia. I think this is
the real America,” he says.
warm, and helpful the people of Verno-
nia have been. “I really love this com-
munity,” she says.
the second best runner on the boys cross
country team this fall, will play basket-
ball in the winter and then run track.
“People here have commitment and
unity,” he says. “You get to meet all
kinds of different people here.”
Sara Ghislanzoni is from Lecco,
Italy and is staying with Ben and
Christy Davis’s family. Sara is play-
ing volleyball, will play basketball
in the winter and hasn’t decided
whether to try softball or run track
in the spring. This is Sara’s third
Left-right: Sara Ghislanzoni, Nicola Biondi, Sona Zakaryan, Jia-You Yu, Justine Massengo,
trip to the United States; she previ-
Pakornkeat Insawang, and Murad Yazmedov
ously toured the east coast, visiting
New York City, Boston and Washington, Sona Zakaryan is from a small com- Jia-You Yu - “Lawrence” is from the
D.C., and some western states including munity, about the size of Vernonia, Dar- east coast of Taiwan and is staying with
California, Nevada, Texas, and Arizona. bas, Armenia. She is spending the year Justin and Jeana Gump and their family.
She has also traveled to France, Switzer- living with Joann Beamish. This is the “I love Vernonia,” he says. “People here
land, and Austria. She says she likes how first time Sona has ever left her country; are very friendly and the town is beau-
friendly and helpful people in Vernonia since she has been in the states she has tiful.” This is his first time visiting the
have been. “They always talk to us and visited the Oregon Coast and was very U.S., but he has traveled to Japan, Eng-
try to get us involved in things and I re- excited to see the Pacific Ocean. Sona is land, France, and New Zealand. He is
ally love living here,” she says.
running cross country this fall. “Run- running cross country this fall, will play
ning cross country has really helped me, basketball in the winter, and play base-
Nicola Biondi is from Ancona on the not just physically, but mentally and ball in the spring.
coast of Italy and is living with Reggie helped build my character and I am sad
and Cathy Ward. He is playing football the season is almost over,” says Sona. Justine Massengo - “Tanzy” is from
this fall, will play basketball in the win- She says she will try playing basketball Dodoma, the capital city of Tanzania and
ter (he has played basketball for 12 years in the winter and run track in the spring. is living with Reggie and Cathy Ward.
in Italy) and then run track or try play- Sona says she is from a small town in This is his first trip to the United States,
ing baseball in the spring. This is his first her country and she likes how friendly, but he has visited South Africa. He is
Pakornkeat Insawang is from Non-
thaburi, an urban providence in Thai-
land near the capital city of Bankok.
He is going by the name “James” this
year and is living with Shelley Hen-
nesy. This is his first trip abroad. He
is playing football this fall, will wres-
tle in the winter, and do field events
on the track team in the spring. He
says living in small town Vernonia is
a drastic change for him, but he loves
it here. “It’s great. The Community
is small but very warm and welcom-
ing,” he says.
Murad Yazmedov - “Misha” is from
Balkanabat, Turkmenistan and is living
with Justin and Ashley Ward’s fam-
ily. He is playing football this fall, will
wrestle in the winter and run track in the
spring. “I think people here are more
kind than in the big cities in America,”
he says. “I like it here.” This is his first
time outside his country.
Vernonia’s Voice is published
twice each month on the 1st
and 3rd Thursday. Look for
our next issue out November 2.
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