The students come from Vietnam, Brazil, South Korea, France, Cambodia and Spain and will live with host families while attending Marian Catholic.
School officials said the arrangement will give the international students an opportunity to experience American family life, Catholic education and local traditions while participating in academics, athletics, extracurricular activities and other aspects of student life at Marian.
Their arrival also provides Marian students with the opportunity to learn firsthand about different cultures, languages, traditions and perspectives.
“One of the great gifts of a Catholic school is that it brings people together around something bigger than themselves,” Principal Rev. Robert Finlan said. “Our international students remind us that the Marian family is part of something much larger than our school or even our local community.”
Finlan said the students bring their own cultures, experiences and faith to Marian while becoming part of the school community.
“I am excited to see the friendships that will develop and the ways our students will grow by learning from one another,” he said.
Nicole Dunn-Updegrave, a 2008 Marian graduate and the school's Director of Student Success, works closely with the international students and said the program provides benefits for both the visiting students and their Marian classmates.
“The beauty of welcoming international students is that the experience is transformative for everyone,” Dunn-Updegrave said. “Our international students come to Marian ready to learn and experience a new culture, but they also have so much to teach us.”
She said the experience allows Marian students to learn about other countries, families and traditions while forming friendships that can continue long after high school.
“Our students discover that friendship has no borders,” Dunn-Updegrave said. “Years from now, they may be living on opposite sides of the world, but they will always share the experience of being part of the Marian family.”
Living with host families will provide another important part of the international students' experience. In addition to attending school, students will take part in everyday American family life, holidays, traditions and community events.
Host families, meanwhile, have the opportunity to welcome students from around the world into their homes and learn about their cultures.
Finlan said the program also fits Marian's Catholic educational mission of teaching students to recognize the dignity and value of every person.
“Welcoming students from around the world gives our young people a tangible opportunity to live that mission,” Finlan said. “We want every student who walks through our doors—whether they come from Tamaqua or from halfway around the world—to know that they belong here.”
The 10 students' arrival also expands the geographic reach of a school that traditionally draws students from communities throughout the region.
“We are grateful to the families who have opened their homes to these students and to the international families who have entrusted their sons and daughters to Marian,” Dunn-Updegrave said. “There is something very special about watching a student arrive from another country not knowing what to expect and, over time, become part of the Marian community.”
As the school year progresses, the international students will have the opportunity to experience Marian's traditions while also bringing their own backgrounds and experiences to the school.
The students represent Vietnam, Brazil, South Korea, France, Cambodia and Spain.
Marian Catholic High School opened in 1954 and has graduated more than 8,000 students who now live throughout the United States and abroad.
The school also honors the legacies of predecessor institutions Saint Ann's High School in Lansford, Saint Mary's High School in Coaldale, Saint Jerome's High School in Tamaqua and Mauch Chunk Catholic High School in Jim Thorpe. Marian also welcomes alumni of Bishop Hafey High School and Cardinal Brennan High School as members of its extended school community.