Scottish Visitors (from left): Ashleigh Wilson, Lorna Coull, Claire Smith, Samantha Auld and Russel Kesson
Three instructors from the Perth Grammar School in Perth, Scotland have accompanied a group of students to the United States as part of a cultural exchange program. Russell Kesson, a coach and physical education instructor, Ashleigh Wilson, a history teacher, and Samantha Auld, also a physical education instructor, participated in a special assembly at Carroll High School this morning (Tuesday). The group arrived in New York on Wednesday, spent two-and-a-half days there before arriving in Carroll last Saturday morning. Wilson said in June of 2015, Bill Baddeley, CHS coach and physical education instructor, had organized a group of over 30 students and adults from Carroll to visit the Perth school, and they are now pleased to be participating in the cultural exchange.
Kesson said once the students return home, they too will hold a special assembly and share what this experience has been like with their classmates. Wilson added the students have remained in contact with each other from the Carroll visit in 2015, and they are hopeful that the program will continue and will create lasting lifelong relationships. Lorna Coull is in her fifth year at Perth Grammar School, which would make her a junior in our system, and Claire Smith is in her fourth year, or a sophomore. Coull had never been to the U.S. before and Smith had traveled to Florida, but both were amazed at how flat our area was compared to their home. Coull said she noticed a big difference between the glamour and hustle of New York versus the laid back rural experience, and had the most fun so far at an outing she took with her host, Carson Thompson, and his family.
A Nerf gun fight and grilling were two things that Smith said she really enjoyed because they are not a typical part of their day-to-day lives in Scotland. Smith is staying with Maddie Rotert and her family and she said she is really looking forward to the events planned for this Friday.
The last scheduled event before leaving on Saturday morning will be attending an American football game on Friday night, and both girls said they can’t wait for that experience. During the special morning assembly, the group was presented the Key to the City by Mayor Eric Jensen as well as a Carroll Tigers flag and a specially engraved plaque presented by Baddeley.
