Frassati Catholic Academy hosts Italian visitors

A large group of students, parents and teachers from Italy were greeted by a warm smile and a handshake from Rev. Ron Lewinski as they stepped off the bus at Frassati Catholic Academy in Wauconda on Wednesday.

The Catholic middle school is hosting 37 guests from Scuola Libera G.K. Chesterton in San Benedetto del Tronto on the Adriatic coast of Italy.

"They started a school there that is similar to what we are trying to do here. So we have that in common," said Lewinski, who is president of Frassati Catholic Academy.

Frassati Catholic Academy and Scuola Libera G.K. Chesterton share Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati as their patron. Wauconda Mayor Frank Bart, Lewinski, and Principal Diane Vida met with the adult travelers, while Frassati students escorted children to classrooms to get a feel for the typical school activities.

"It is very impressive to find people that are committed just like us into education," said Marco Sermarini, who is a parent and a religion teacher at G.K. Chesterton. "It is very impressive and also moving because our school that is named after G.K. Chesterton that was born inside our Catholic community. Our families are united in the same co-fraternity inspired by Pier Giorgio Frassati." A general assembly was held in the Parish Life Center where students arranged a DVD program of the school that was subtitled in Italian.