WAKE COUNTY, N.C. — More than 160,000 students started the traditional school year today in Wake County.
What You Need to Know
All students and teachers in Wake County will be required to wear face coverings in school
Wake County is the largest school district in the state with more than 160,000 students enrolled in public school
The Pace Family is a host family for a foreign exchange student from Germany
As parents, students and teachers prepared for the third school year in the pandemic, the Pace family welcomed an international student to North Carolina.
Melena Brill is from Germany and will be attending Sanderson High School this school year. This is Brill’s second time coming to the U.S., but the first-time attending school here.
“I’m really looking forward to meeting the Pace family and experience the high school, everything that comes from that because it’s so different from Germany,” Brill said over a FaceTime call before her arrival to Raleigh.
This is the Pace’s third foreign exchange student. They previously had students from France and Spain.
“North Carolina is like the perfect state because we can take them to the ocean, we can go the mountains, we are so close to so many experiences,” Teresa Pace said.
Brill will be one of four exchange students attending Sanderson High School. She also has plans to play on the school volleyball team.
Although students and teachers will be required to wear face coverings and social distance due to the pandemic, Brill is excited to just be in America.
“Everything is going to be so exciting,” Brill said.
The last exchange student the Pace family had was during the start and height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their student from Spain actually stayed longer because her family felt she was safer in North Carolina.
“It was concerning, but you get a very protective relationship with your students, just like I would worry for my daughter, I worry for her,” Teresa Pace said.
Teresa Pace says being an international student allows people to truly take in the culture and experience all America has to offer.
“When we have an international guest here, you start looking at your own country through their eyes in ways you may never had and that’s a real gift for the host family,” Teresa Pace said.