Exchanges/Hosting | Belmont Hill School

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL-TO-SCHOOL EXCHANGES

Nearly every year Belmont Hill welcomes exchange students from fellow boys’ schools in Spain, South Africa, and Australia. We have longstanding partnerships with Colegio de Fomento Montearagón (Zaragoza, Spain) and Bishops Diocesan College (Cape Town, South Africa), as well as a more recent, student-initiated partnership with Shore School (Sydney, Australia). Every year boys from these schools jump at the opportunity to experience life on our American campus.

While reciprocal exchange is encouraged, students who wish to host, but have conflicts preventing summer travel, may also participate. That said, Belmont Hill boys who have gone on exchange have loved the experience.

Gavin Colbert ‘18, Spain exchange participant: “I am having an absolutely amazing time here! We saw Madrid and went to a Real Madrid soccer match and Fernando and his family are so nice! His school is definitely different than Belmont Hill and the students are a little more "rambunctious" in class but they are very funny and sincere in small groups and after school. I have already picked up a lot of Spanish, it's like my brain switched to Spanish mode and I can understand a lot even when they are speaking very, very fast. To be honest it is a little difficult to switch between languages...a good lesson about empathy for immigrants.”

Hosting

The Montearagón, Bishops, and Shore exchanges typically occur in the late fall (students arrive at the end of October and return just after Thanksgiving). Montearagón students usually stay with Belmont Hill boys who are studying Spanish. Bishops and Shore are English-language schools so students at all grade levels are invited to host.

ASSIST scholars typically live with 2-3 families over the course of their stay, offering scholars various perspectives on American family life as well as managing the extent of any individual family commitments.

We encourage families to consider hosting our exchange students. Hosting invitations are sent out annually in the late spring and summer.

ASSIST SCHOLARS

Since 2014 Belmont Hill has been part of the ASSIST Scholars program. Now celebrating its 50th year, the ASSIST program connects qualified international students to participating American independent schools.

Over the past five years the Belmont Hill community has welcomed students from Sweden, Spain, Croatia, and Australia. ASSIST Scholars are fully enrolled students (with mandatory courses in US History and American Literature). Scholars engage in the full roster of school activities, though generally they do not compete at the varsity level in ISL sports. The year affords them a chance to deepen existing passions as well as pursue new interests.

Unlike our group trips program, ASSIST offers Belmont Hill boys the opportunity to develop robust intercultural relationships over the course of a full academic year, learning with as well as from their international classmate.

David and Ann Marie Wilkins P’20 (hosts to 2015-2016 Assist scholar Carlos Munos Magro): “Seeing how well Carlos has adjusted to his new environment while being so far away from family and friends has made all of us appreciate even more the time we get to spend together as a family, and the wonderful family we have at Belmont Hill. I have no doubt that we will all come away from this year with a deeper understanding of both our own blessings and the blessings of opening our home and our hearts to others. Carlos and his entire family will always be a part of all of our lives.”