The Glendale City Council gave out 10 mayoral commendations and pins to exchange students from Glendale’s sister city, Boeun, South Korea, at its Jan. 23 meeting.
The program, which resumed this year for the first time since COVID-19, provided the opportunity for the 10 middle school students from Boeun to be paired with Rosemont Middle School student ambassadors for three days beginning on Jan. 24.
“The Boeun students will be shadowing and following the Rosemont students’ schedule to fully experience the school life at Rosemont,” Chang Lee, president of the Korea Glendale Sister City Association, said.
Upon accepting his commendation, YeGeon Kim from BoDeok Middle School in Boeun spoke on behalf of himself and his peers, expressing gratitude for the city’s acceptance.
“I am so happy and excited to experience American culture,” he said. “On the other hand, I was worried because I had to face difficulties in communication with English and unfamiliar environments, but thanks for [Glendale’s] warm welcoming, I can feel relieved.
“On this trip, I want to experience the culture of the United States and learn a lot by taking classes with friends at Rosemont Middle School,” he added.
Students in the program will stay in the United States for 10 days, visiting various educational institutions, Universal Studios and the Grand Canyon.
First published in the February 3 print issue of the Glendale News-Press.
