Besides seniors who are getting ready to leave Manhattan High behind, the exchange students who have spent the year here are also ready to leave Manhattan and get back home. 

When they first arrived everything was a fresh new culture, language and friends. Over time the students have come to feel like they belonged at MHS, finding their people as well as sharing their own ideas and cultures with the people around them. 

“I like this school because it’s way bigger than my school back in Germany and has more space. My school in Germany has like 360 students there,” junior Henry Genuit said. “But here there’s a lot of people and friends.”

AFS sponsor Silvan Plattner said he appreciates the host families who opened their homes, providing a safe, stable environment for this year’s exchange students, which allowed them to make memories about the fun experiences they’ve had in the United States, which ultimately changes the way they see the world. 

“I am really sad that I’m leaving this,” junior Camila Nonastero said, “but I also learned so much and am excited to see my friends and family back at home.”