Foreign Exchange Students Attending Aptos High School

Welcomed by Corralitos families, two students from Italy are attending Aptos High School to learn about California and the United States.

Arianna Cavicchi is a high school senior who lives with Rich and Debbi Puente and their daughters Brynn and Ciera. She is from a small village between Florence and Bologna named Bruscoli. Arianna excels in the sciences but also has an interest in journalism leading her to take part in the building of Aptos High School’s 2015 – 16 yearbook.

Arianna is also interested in music, fashion, and swimming! She has been wake surfing at Lake Hogan and has hiked in Nicene Marks. Arianna really wants to learn all she can about America and said, “The best part will be meeting new people, to learn the most important language in the world, to be enriched both culturally and personally.”

“William” Guglielmo di Carlo Natoli, also a senior, lives with Heather Gorman, Anthony Gorman, and Haylee Trowbridge. William is from Rome, and participated in an American football league there. His favorite subjects are history, philosophy, and geography and is passionate about playing football with the Mariners. He also likes to scuba dive and wants to study marine biology. William hopes to attend a 49ers game, visit San Francisco, and some of our National Parks.

Each year, international high school students representing more than 55 nationalities come to the U.S. to experience American culture as part of the Council on International Educational Exchange’s USA High School program. Students live as typical American teenagers—attending a U.S. high school, living with an American host family, and participating in extracurricular activities and sports. During their stay, students also give back to their host communities through many volunteering and community service opportunities.

Through its USA High School program, CIEE provides life-changing cultural exchanges that help students, families, and schools gain new perspectives and develop lifelong relationships that cross borders and cultures.

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Founded in 1947, the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) is the country’s oldest and largest nonprofit study abroad and intercultural exchange organization, serving 300 U.S. colleges and universities, 1,000 U.S. high schools, and more than 35,000 international exchange students each year. Students in the CIEE program are screened for language proficiency, academic standing, and motivation to travel and learn new cultures.

Interested in hosting an international exchange student? Contact your CIEE local coordinator Kathy Arola at kathy.arola.ciee@gmail.com or (831) 818-9392.