CARMEL – The Carmel-Mantova connection is alive and well.
Two dozen young men and women from the small Italian community are back in their home country following last week’s visit to Putnam County where they attended classes at Carmel High School, spent time with host families and visited sites throughout the New York Metropolitan area including the Statue of Liberty, Ground Zero and Midtown Manhattan as part of the educational exchange.
Carmel students will travel to Italy during the 2020 spring break as part of the exchange that has been ongoing for some 20 years.
Originally organized by retired educators Philomena Ruggerio, Claudia Montouri and Ann Flynn, the program is now under the direction of Felicia DiLeo, John Richichi and Daniel Drebycz.
DiLeo gave her ‘step-sister’ Elisabetta Gavioli, who was one of the two chaperones for the Italian students, a big hug during a reception last Wednesday after class. “This has been a fantastic opportunity for these youngsters from Italy to become a part of the Carmel family and for our young people to become integrated in the Italian culture when they travel overseas next April.”
Gavioli and her fellow chaperone Laura Bottoli described the experience as “truly special. For me, it’s like coming back home,” said Gavioli.
Gavioli, who was making her 11th trek to Carmel, admitted “never getting tired of the experience. The people in your town are wonderful and our kids love the interaction. Over the years, many of the exchange students have become friends. We are an extended family.”
Gavioli said while the educational system in Carmel was “much larger than in Italy, the systems are similar and different at the same time. We have learned how to speak English. It’s nice to see that so many Americans are speaking Italian. Schools in the United States are more advanced when it relates to technology.”
Richichi agreed, saying “The adults enjoy the experience as much as the young people do. While in Italy next spring, trips have been set up for Carmel students to visit Venice, Florence and Verona.”
DiLeo and Richichi encouraged continued exchange programs worldwide.
DiLeo, noted while “book learning is critical, meeting and interacting with people from far off lands makes education come to life.”
Richichi said there is “nothing like face-to-face interaction. We learn so much from each other through dialogue.”
