Exchange program the chance of a lifetime

More local students are getting the opportunity to experience other cultures through the Experiment in International Living scholarship program thanks to a Libertyville couple.

Derick and Adriana Bonewitz are both alumni of the Experiment in International Living program, which originated in the 1930s. While Derick was in Mexico during a cultural exchange program in 1968, he met his wife, Adriana, who is from Mexico.

"My wife and I wanted to make the Experiment experience possible for as many students as we could in Libertyville," said Bonewitz, who established the scholarship fund locally in 2001 so students can afford to go on memorable journeys.

Last year, eight students from Libertyville High School traveled to various countries, including Japan, Germany, Thailand and Italy. The Bonewitzes have also opened the scholarship program up to Waukegan High School students this year, and two students from Waukegan traveled abroad this past summer.

The trips cost between $4,100 and $6,900 per student for a four- to five-week program. The scholarships cover between 20 and 90 percent of those costs, depending on financial need and merit.

Thelma Krupp, supervisor for international languages department at Libertyville High School, said many students have said participating in the Experiment has been life-changing.

"I owe the Experiment so much more than money or words. Not only did it provide me with stories and friends and great family, it gave me the chance to find a piece of myself I didn't have," wrote student Liz Abderholden, who traveled to Ecuador. "I am a collage of all that I experience, and I can truly say that nothing has ever affected me as much as this."

One of Abderholden's favorite moments on her trip was being up on the deck of a yacht in the Galapagos, looking up at the brilliant sky with her new friends and laughing.

"The culmination of the events of my entire trip filled me with the same feelings of ecstasy," wrote Emily Buehler, who said she can easily say the month spent in Japan were the best four weeks of her life. "I learned how to try new things without the fear of judgment or failure. I made meaningful friendships and bonds with those around me. I found within myself the strength and independence to turn my doubts and fears into courage to pursue the fulfillment of my dreams."

"These kids were able to step up and meet the challenges of a demanding summer program," Krupp said. She said many students participated in service learning projects, such as refurbishing a school or environmental projects. In her foreign language class, she noticed their level of comfort in speaking increased a great deal after traveling abroad.

Bonewitz said the program requires a certain level of maturity and "students have to sort of surrender to the experience."

"You have to open up and let it wash over you," he explained. "Barriers come down and a lot of learning takes place."

For more information, visit the Web site at www.uspexperiment.org or call (847) 345-2929.