The FLEX Student of the Month for November is Parthena from Greece, living in Falling Waters, West Virginia.
Since arriving, Parthena has gone above and beyond to integrate herself into her host family, school, and community. She lives with her host mom and dad and two younger host brothers. She enjoys sharing her culture, reading a book about Greek mythology, and teaching them Greek words. She has enjoyed getting to bond with her host mom and dad as well through trips to state parks, baseball games, air shows, and college football games. Parthena also enjoys boating with her host family on the nearby Potomac River. Her host mom says that Parthen shows a positive attitude toward these new experiences, and she looks forward to spending the rest of the school year getting to know Parthena better.
Parthena constantly seeks ways to make an impact in her community. Whether decorating the school halls for homecoming or helping with the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, she is always lending a hand. One of the many ways that Parthena stands out is her ability to seek out individuals and opportunities that will help her gain knowledge and make connections to achieve her goals. She has identified opportunities to volunteer at the Humane Society, library, homeless shelter, and 4-H club, and is currently setting up a visit to the nursing home where she will visit with the residents and share traditional Greek music and dance.
Parthena has acclimated to life at a new school as well, with an impressive array of extracurricular activities including the Broadcast Team, theater, student government, and leadership club, on top of taking a challenging course load. She taught a mini lesson about Greece to her English class, sharing the Greek origins of the word’s marathon, echo, and narcissist. Parthena’s English teacher stated enthusiastically that Parthena is “a pillar of our school community in so many ways.” Proactive, resourceful, and enthusiastic, Parthena shared the following about her FLEX year so far, “the more I experience as an exchange student, the more open minded I become.” Her attitude and sheer motivation epitomize the FLEX spirit.
Congratulations, Parthena!
