After a brief pause, the Foreign Exchange Club at James Buchanan High School is back—and with new energy and purpose.
For years, the Foreign Exchange Club has served as a gateway for students and staff to explore and appreciate different cultures through the presence of international exchange students. Each school year, James Buchanan typically welcomes students from across the globe who live in Mercersburg and attend classes, offering the school community a unique window into global traditions and perspectives.
However, when the new school year began, students quickly noticed something was missing: there were no new exchange students.
“The Foreign Exchange Club is not going to be active this year due to the lack of exchange students in our district,” said Ms. Danielle Simchick, the faculty advisor to the club.
Simchick initially had plans to keep the club running, even without new exchange students. One idea involved collaborating with a former student, Marianna Davidova, an Armenian exchange student who attended James Buchanan during the 2015–2016 school year and is now a student at Wilson College.
“We initially were going to work with Marianna this year,” Simchick said. “But she was unable to fulfill the duties required to participate in the club.”
With that plan no longer viable, Simchick made the decision to temporarily make the club inactive. That changed in mid-October with unexpected but exciting news: James Buchanan would be welcoming a new foreign exchange student after all.
“His name is Fernando, and he comes from Mexico,” shared Sarah Hoffeditz, a senior and President of the Foreign Exchange Club.
Hoffeditz had hoped to continue the club even before Fernando’s arrival and was disappointed when the program was initially put on pause.
“I was really looking forward to meeting new exchange students,” she said. “My plans were to show them the American way of life and go on trips with them.”
When Simchick sent out a message announcing the arrival of the new student, Hoffeditz and other club members were thrilled.
“It was the very beginning of this week. Simchick sent out a text telling us about the new exchange student,” Hoffeditz recalled. “It was a nice surprise to add to my senior year.”
With the club now reinstated, students are encouraged to join and become part of this meaningful cultural experience.
“Do it,” Hoffeditz urges. “You get to meet amazing people, whether they’re the exchange students or other members of the club. You get to be a part of their lives, and they’ll really cherish that. You gain a friend and a new adventure.”
The club is currently raising funds for its activities by selling water bottles in Room 117 and making monthly deposits toward club expenses. With renewed energy and participation, the Foreign Exchange Club is once again ready to bring the world to James Buchanan High School.
