Exchange Students Receive Valuable Training at Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School

(South Easton, MA) - Jeroen “Jerome” Zevenberger of Utrech, The Netherlands, was faced with the decision of which college to attend when he graduated high school last June at the age of 16.  His father, a former exchange student himself, suggested Jeroen use this time to experience a new country. “In the Netherlands, most students graduate at age 17, but because my birthday is in September, I was probably the youngest in my graduating class” Jeroen said.

Jeroen hopes to enjoy everything possible both at Southeastern Regional and in the United States, to make new friends, and for his experience as an American high school student to add to his development as a student and as an individual. “Here is different from the Netherlands. Everything is bigger here, there are lots of drive throughs and the food is different. The other students are very nice to me, very open. I play American football and my team gave me a warm welcome.”

There are also similarities between the two countries. “In the Netherlands, I already learned United States History, which was on my final exam in academics” he added. “Now I’m studying Engineering at Southeastern because I like Architecture. I’m already familiar with the Skech-Up program here at the school because it’s the same program I used in the Netherlands.”  His excellent command of English is impressive. “I started to learn English in school when I was 12.”

Shutaro Tsuchida from Tokyo Japan came to learn English, learn about the American culture, and hopes to use his Business Marketing shop training to launch a career in international trade. Currently a junior at Southeastern Regional, he will need 2 more years of high school in Tokyo. He will have the opportunity to continue his vocational training after graduation.

At the age of 17, Shutaro is experiencing a co-educational school for the first time. He enjoys his studies and playing on the soccer team, as he did in Japan, where his school didn’t have a soccer field. “I never saw so many different courts for all the different sports at Southeastern. They have different courts for soccer, American football, Baseball. In Japan, they used just one field for all the sports at my high school.”

Shutaro would recommend the exchange program to his friends in Japan.  “The students and teachers are very kind and friendly.” Because English can be challenging, he appreciates getting help with his studies from his house mother, Mrs. Sharon Baker, and fellow exchange student Jeroen. “I like that this school is huge. Schools in japan are smaller. And I like the cafeteria food,” he added.

Mrs. Sharon Baker of Mansfield has hosted 14 “Youths for Understanding” exchange students over the years, with 10 matriculating at Southeastern Regional. “The school is very supportive and the teachers are happy to have them and work with them. The kids are integrated. They went home and took what they learned at Southeastern as a career. Some have made lifelong friends, and five have come back to visit me and their teachers.” How have the international students used their SRVTHS education to launch their careers back home? “One exchange student from Business Marketing went on to study business and marketing in college, another got her high school diploma at Southeastern and is studying Marketing in an American college, a former Visual Arts student is working in a gallery in her home country of Germany, to name a few.”

Although both young men hail from very different continents, they both agree on what they like best about Southeastern Regional: “Everyone - the teachers, staff and students are very nice!”

Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School is a public 9-12 vocational high school located in South Easton, Massachusetts, serving approximately 1,277 students from the city of Brockton and the towns of East Bridgewater, Easton, Foxborough, Mansfield, Norton, Sharon, Stoughton, and West Bridgewater.