Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 2022)
Schools October 20 2022 11 Meet the Exchange Students Each school year the Vernonia School District and the Vernonia com- munity welcome a group of students from other countries around the world to spend a year with us as foreign ex- change students. And each year Ver- nonia’s Voice sits down with these stu- dents to learn a little about them and introduce them to our community. This year we have five exchange students, so please join us in welcoming them to Vernonia. or two years to travel and explore more of the world before going back to uni- versity or maybe entering the military. Isabelle Martins Sagrillo – Belle is from the large city of Curitiba, in Bra- zil. She is spending this year living with the Pelster family. This is her first time visiting the United States. She is playing on the JV volleyball team this fall and hopes to play basketball in the winter. Belle says she has traveled to the United States once before to visit Sasha Masi – Sasha lives in Malis- Disney World in Florida. Belle says sard, near the mid-sized city of Valance, she is unsure what she would like to France, where he goes to school. He study in the future, but hopes to live is living with the Pultz family. He is somewhere outside her home country. running cross country this fall and will “I want to get to know other countries try basketball in the winter, and maybe and other cultures.” She says she want- track in the spring. Sasha says he chose ed to be an exchange student to help These five foreign exchange students are spending this school year in Vernonia: (Left to right) Sasha Masi, to become an exchange student to help her improve her English and learn more Sarah Sophia Pruesse, Marlene Lieblang, Eleanora “Elli” Linkmann, Isabelle “Belle” Martins Sagrillo gain maturity, become more indepen- about North American culture. “I really ways experiencing something new. She has also found it dent, experience a new life, and “to like Vernonia – I think people here are learn English because it is very important.” This isn’t Sa- easy to make friends, because Vernonians seem to want really kind,” says Belle. She says Vernonia is very small, sha’s first time in the U.S.; he says he has visited California to meet new people. Marlene says she plans to travel and but also fun. once before. Sasha says his goal is to study and work in the see more of the world after she finishes high school, before going back to university to study something in the aviation field after high school. medical field, “and help people.” Sarah Sophia Pruesse – Sarah is spending this year liv- ing with the Eidi family and it is her first time in the United Eleanora Linkmann – Elli’s family is from Tal- States. She is from Brunswick, a mid-sized city in the Low- linn, on the coast of northern Estonia, although she er Saxony region of Germany. Sarah is playing on the JV now lives in a different town and goes to school volleyball team this fall, will try basketball in the winter, somewhere else, so she says she’s from three dif- and do equestrian sports in the spring. She says she wanted ferent places. She is the newest in a long line of to be an exchange student in order to leave her comfort zone students in Vernonia to become part of the Gump in Germany and experience life with a new family, and “see family. Elli says she has thought about being an new places.” Sarah says after high school she would like to exchange student since 2017 and chose the United live in a van and travel and see the world for maybe a year. States “to get the American high school experi- “I really like it here,” she says about Vernonia. “I like the ence.” Elli likes the small community feel of Ver- small cafes and the small shops here at the shopping street.” nonia. “Sometimes I miss the opportunities in a She says she does miss buses and trains and the ability to city, like to just go shopping or to go with friends get into a city quickly and easily. She likes how everyone to the cinema. You have to have a car here. So we in Vernonia seems to know everyone. “For an exchange need to make friends who have cars. But I think it is better to be here than in a big city.” She is on the student, I think it is the perfect match.” cross country team this fall, and will do track and Marlene Lieblang – Marlene is from a small city she says field in the spring. Elli says she hopes to take one is a lot like Vernonia, called Seeheim, in Germany. She is living this year with the Abney family. She is running cross country this fall, will play basket- ball in the winter, and will do track and field in the spring, where she will throw the shot put. This is her first time traveling to the United States. “I always wanted to be an exchange student, because I wanted to explore the world,” says Marlene. She says she wants to learn about other cultures and people, and see how other people live. “I love it here! The people are so nice, and I feel so wel- comed here!” says Marlene. She says she doesn’t think Vernonia feels too small because she is al- Poppino Painting 902 Bridge Street 971-533-4908 Tim Poppino 19025 Woods Road Vernonia, OR 97064 Licensed Bonded Insured CCM#90548 Vernonia, Oregon 97064 Elmer Rivas Owner 971-227-0462 egrivas70@yahoo.com Firewood For Sale at Pihl’s Wood Yard 2.5 miles south of Vernonia on Hwy 47 Many options to choose from Keeping Vernonia employed! Call/text Lindsay Pihl (503) 781-0710 or Call the office (503) 429-1470
