I would like to thank our parents, students, and faculty for offering an environment where kids can be different and feel welcome. They knew so little about each other until they met at the airport; they immediately learned about empathy and acceptance, and two weeks later we were back at the airport (tired as heck!) watching the students crying happy tears - they didn’t want it to end. That certified that it was all worth it. To this day, the families still keep in touch - it’s like having a family on another continent. We’re not going to Colombia anytime soon, but the door is open, and I know some of our students will go down there to experience what their new friends got to experience here. When we open our hearts to an experience like this, we'll never regret it; the value is intangible, as we're not only touching a student, we're also connecting with a family, a community, and a country. The memories and connections are unforgettable.
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