PERRYVILLE SCHOOLS ATTRACT FOREIGN STUDENTS

PERRYVILLE -- With sister schools in both Germany and Japan, Perryville students get annual lessons in multiculturalism.

Each year the Perry County School District hosts exchange programs with its two sister schools. Two years ago a group of Mexican students also visited.

In about two weeks, 20 students from a high school in Tokyo, Japan, will spend a week in Perryville. In June, they will host the Perryville students who visit.

Hosting exchange students, even for a short time, isn't uncommon for Perryville students. Each year German students visit Perryville during a three-week exchange. The 25 students, who visited last October, attend Kardinal Von Gallen, a college preparatory school in Mettingen, Germany. Perryville students will arrive for a similar exchange during the summer.

The Japanese students arrive March 16 and will spend a week learning about American culture, Perryville and Missouri history.

"They do some cultural sharing and we do the same thing when we go over there," said Lisa Ruhman, who is coordinating the trip in Perryville. "There are now some mutual friendships and that helps out a lot."

The sister school program with Suijo High School in Tokyo began about three years ago. TG (USA) Corp., a Japanese-owned business that manufactures automotive parts, supports the exchange with translators and donates money to the trip in June. However, most of the Japanese students speak English well.

The students and two advisers will live with host families in Perryville during their visit. On Thursday evening, TG (USA) Corp., will hold a banquet complete with authentic Japanese food for the students and hosts.

Both the American and Japanese students enjoy the banquet, Ruhman said. The schools also exchange gifts during the evening.

Other highlights of their visit will be a tour of the city hall, police and fire stations in Perryville, a tour of Perry and Ste. Genevieve counties and a shopping trip.