Last Friday was the 3rd Annual International Teen Chat Day for 7th & 8th graders at Castle Rock Middle School in Colorado. This event was established through the combined efforts of Social Studies teacher, Ms. Beth Rower, and Colorado coordinator, Jodi Meek. This World Link hosted event engages and educates middle school students who normally have no day-to-day interaction with exchange students. By opening this opportunity to middle school students, it not only ignites their interest in learning more about the world, but it also prepares them to bond and seek out those international students who will be a vital player in their high school days to come.

The day was set up in four different classrooms, each having two World Link students. Middle school students filtered in to each room; half going to one student, half arranging themselves around the other. The exchange students had 15 minutes in which they presented authentic clothing, platters, bowls, jewelry, flags, pictures and more from their native countries of Pakistan, Nigeria, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Moldova, Yemen and Ukraine. The current 2015-2016 YES students who spoke at the event include: Asma Rassem of Yemen, Krona Emmanuel of Pakistan, Faith Daloba of Nigeria, and Laveen Wazeef of Egypt. They discussed their native language and alphabet. They sang songs and taught some basic cultural dance moves. After the 15 minutes were up, the middle school students rotated on to the next World Link student. They continued this process until they heard each of our World Link students speak!

The day ended with time to bond, which included taking selfies and group photos, exchanging social media, and asking any last questions that time may not have allowed during the rotation.

The event was a huge success!

Below are pictures of Asma (top) and Laveen (bottom) presenting to the middle school students.