On Feb 25, Metea Valley welcomed students from Somonauk High School, allowing them to experience student life in an urban high school.
Ten Somonauk students were paired up with Metea students to learn about their life here and see how classes function. Somonauk High School is a small rural high school with a total of 215 students in Somonauk, Illinois. The main goal for the student exchange was for Somonauk students to experience school life at a bigger high school.
“We wanted a different school […] it just seemed like a good fit, and it’s a way different school than Somonauk,” Somonauk Senior Danielle Rankin said. “It is a culture shock for both schools, which I think is really good.”
Metea students went to Somonauk just the week before, on Feb 20. Somonauk Advisor John Korso noted that the Metea students who visited Somonauk were excited and fawning over the smaller-sized school. He noted that “Some of the kids were like, ‘Oh, this is so cute,’. “And I think that’s just the kind of thing that kind of sticks with me, just because we are so small.”
Both advisors who accompanied the students wished to expose their students to the difference between a small, rural community and a school with a larger student body. For the Somonauk students, the day was all about learning what classrooms looked like with a bigger class size and what facilities each school had.
“The music wing was particularly impressive,” Somonauk Advisor Stephanie Vidmar said. “It was incredible to witness how many activities are taking place simultaneously.”
It was very important for students involved in the shadowing experience to experience what it’s like to be in school in suburbia with a larger student population. From both sides, students were excited and eager to share how they live their lives and learn from one another.
“Our students have already made new friends, and the whole experience has helped them think about what kind of school environment might suit them in the future,” Vidmar said. ”This has been a great opportunity.”
