Student Life

Cultural Exchange

Faculty member, Abby Arquero, formed the Cultural Exchange Club in order to expose SFIS students to other Native cultures and students. The main activity is a cultural exchange trip whereby SFIS students travel to Six Nations in Ontario, Canada. SFIS students visit the Six Nations reserve, which is the homeland of the Haudenosaunee or Iroquois nations and meet with Kawenni:io/Gaweni:yo School, a Mohawk/Cayuga Language Immersion School. SFIS students assume the roles and responsibilities as cultural ambassadors and develop cultural presentations to share and exchange with Haudenosaunee students.

The goals of the program are for SFIS students to:

• Participate, interact and experience daily life, education and diverse cultures and mainstream societies outside of SFIS and their own home communities
• Become aware of Canadian First Nations survival and cultural preservation efforts
• Gain awareness and appreciation of other Indigenous cultures while sharing their own cultures
• Experience through hands-on collaboration full participation in the planning of a trip, including learning about finances, travel arrangements and communication required
• Give back to the SFIS community by sponsoring a cultural activity and sharing their experiences

The faculty advisor for the Cultural Exchange Club is Abby Arquero.

For more information on the Club and how to join, please contact the faculty advisor.