UNOH international students visit Elida Elementary
May 12—ELIDA — There are no snow days for kids in Sweden.
That was one of the revelations shared with third-grade students at Elida Elementary School Friday as international students from the University of Northwestern Ohio came to speak with students about life in their home countries. Friday's event marked the return of the program after a COVID-related hiatus.
"Before COVID, we had an international class, and part of that class requirement was to come out here and learn more about education in the United States and to do community service, so they volunteered in the classrooms," UNOH Director of Assessment Daniell McClure said. "This year, we started with just the third grade, and because the course is not offered at this time, but we're trying to build the excitement and hopefully get back to it. So we're hoping to expand it next year, whether it be an adopt-a-student or go back to the international fair that we used to have."
For McClure, who also serves on the Elida PTO board, helping Elida students form connections with these international students at UNOH is a great learning opportunity, as some of the students may not have many other opportunities to connect with other parts of the world.
"I was explaining to our UNOH students, some of these students may never leave Lima, some may never leave Ohio and certainly a lot of them will never leave the country," she said.
UNOH junior Hedda Isaksson, a native of Uppsala, Sweden, is studying sports marketing and management while playing for the soccer team. Friday's visit was gratifying for her, as she enjoys working with children, having helped at a summer camp back in Sweden.
"It was amazing," she said. "I loved talking about myself and my country, educating people about Scandinavia."
She hopes that the short time she got to spend with the students will have a long-term impact on them, just as the experience will stay with her for a long time.
"As much as they influenced me, I hope I could do the same for them," she said.
