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tion (teaching ESL. working as a teaching assistant or in a day: work. The Grade 11 student will be teaching English and helping with projects in his new com- munity, suth as starting recy- cling programs. This experience will be important in helping him to decide on a future career path, he believes. Students were able to choose whether they’d like to be in a rural or urban setting. “In rural areas, you would be on horseback some of the time,” Corey said. Public transit won out over trekking by horseback, ~so he'll be in a more urban Stouffville youth to teach English , sm'all business or social From page I Adjusting to the different foods in the South American countrywillbeone of the chalâ€" lenges of the trip, he said. Academic prerequisites to participate in the program include having at least Grade 10 Spanish. Corey has already taken French and wanted to learn a third language. He’d like to pick up French again next year if there is room in his aca- demic schedule, he said. To prepare for the trip, stu- dents meet monthly at Thom- lea Secondary School to learn about their host country. One of the things they found is that Ecuadorians are much more family-oriented and have more tightly knit communities than North Americans. Once in Ecuador, students Stoujfville Sun-Th'bune I masday, 19:1. 3, 2008 9 stay with their host families for two or three weeks at a time. Then for a three- or four-day period, they meet in a central location to share their experi- ences. Students earn six high school credits during their co-op. They are immersed in the Spanish language and the local culture, are often “adopted” by the host family with which they live and eflectively become a member of the community. After they return, the stuâ€" dents share their experiences through presentations to school, business and commu- nity groups. For more information on the Intema- tional Coopetative Education program, visit yrdsb.edu.on.ca/ice