Australia

Successful Australian Exchange Comes to a Close

October 21, 2008

Seven students from St. Augustine’s College in Sydney, Australia spent three weeks as members of the St. Rita community through the International Exchange Program, now in its second year.

Back Row: Mr. Gary Coulter, Jake White, Kieron McIlvin, Hugo Hartley, Clay Simons, Walker Dunne, Fr. Tom McCarthy, O.S.A.

Front Row: Kyle Toth, Eric Sloyan, Kevin Yerkes, Vince Riggio, Mitchell Allison, Lewis Evans, Jamie Sargeant, Dan McGrath, Alex Summerfelt.

Seven students from St. Augustine’s College in Sydney, Australia spent three weeks as members of the St. Rita community through the International Exchange Program, now in its second year. Under the direction of Mrs. Jodi McLawhorn, the program has flourished since its inauguration last year with an exchange from Emilie Wüstenfeld Gymnasium in Hamburg, Germany.

St. Augustine’s involvement this year was initiated when St. Rita President Fr. Tom McCarthy, O.S.A. met with St. Augustine Headmaster Mr. Tim Cleary last January in San Diego, during the 5th Augustinian Values Institute, an annual gathering that teaches new faculty members at Augustinian schools throughout the world about the core values of Truth, Unity, and Love. Within weeks, Mr. Gary Coulter, Director of St. Augustine’s International Program, had scheduled a visit to St. Rita to finalize the details.

“It’s great that this connection is based on Augustinianism, as it provides a common ground for our boys while they’re here,” said Mr. Coulter. “St. Rita really is a special school, and is a great place for these boys to learn about American culture.”

It was a culture-filled three weeks, as the Aussie students and their hosts took many excursions around the city to places such as the Chicago History Museum, Art Institute, Millennium Park, and the Sears Tower. And of course there was a lunch stop for deep dish pizza. The Australians spent two days a week in class at St. Rita, produced journal entries and pictures to create a newsletter to take home with them, and also partook in additional events with their St. Rita host families.

“My host family was so welcoming,” said St. Augustine’s student Lewis Evans, who stayed with Eric Sloyan ’10 and his family. “I was nervous at first but they made me feel at home.”

The second leg of the exchange program with St. Augustine’s will come in June 2009, when the seven Ritamen who hosted will take a trip down under to Sydney and experience the culture and people of Australia.

The continued success of this program puts St. Rita at the forefront of schools in Chicago that can be considered “open world schools.” As the global community becomes more compact, St. Rita looks forward to increased interaction with other cultures and schools, especially when Augustinian values form the basis of the relationship.