SHS Students Learning About Life in Other States

Sheridan, Wyoming, is the only town in Wyoming that participates in the American Exchange Project.

Similar to the programs where host families take in international students to give them a look at the day-to-day life in another country, AEP does the same for students to learn about other parts of the United States.

Exchange Manager Gretchen McCafferty, Sheridan High School, talked about the program

She added this about the Sheridan students who take part in the exchange.

She said that host families take in the students and are appreciated in Sheridan to give the out-of-state students this experience. She talked about some of the activities they do here in Sheridan with the youngsters.

McCafferty said that the 12 SHS students who are participating in the exchange help to host the students who are visiting Sheridan.

She talked about how they plan for the students, taking into account what the students want to do when they get here, and what they can physically do. She said one year they planned a hike but some of the students couldn’t hike so they changed that activity for the next summer.

McCafferty said that the AEP ‘preps’ the students for the different environments they will be visiting.

Friendships can be formed through the program as well.

Host families are always needed, anyone interested can contact Gretchen at SHS. They can start now, if they are interested, as there is some paperwork involved.

According to their website, the AEP mission is to connect our divided country. They work at welcoming strangers and embracing hometown pride.

“We are stitching our country together, one student, one high school, one hometown at a time.”

Sheridan High School is helping with that mission.

Participating students pictured, Aida Bullick and Katelyn Reckard, Hendrik Bartel, Georgia Gould.