Jacksonville High School has a long tradition of exchange programs with many other countries around the world. This year we are proud to provide a home for Silas Klein, a Germany exchange student from near Frankfurt, in the center of Germany. Silas turns 17 next April and will be here all school year and for the start of the summer. He is a member of the JHS soccer team and so far has been a critical addition to the team’s defense as theonly left footed outside fullback.
Silas says that he first knew he wanted to come to America after his parents and he “visited America for the holidays” and he loved it so much that he decided to come back and stay in the country for 10 months through an exchange program here at Jacksonville High School. When asked what his favorite part of our everyday American lives was, Silas responded, “I love the food and the school sports teams; especially any food with lots of cheese. Or burgers, I love the burgers.”
Silas has been in Jacksonville for a little over a month now and says that his favorite experience he’s had so far in America was the first home football game. He says that he just “loves the American sport.”
Silas counts on returning to Germany with “more life experience” and to see his friends and family after being away from them all for such a long time. Silas’s fellow teammates would all agree that there’s never a dull moment on or off the field with Silas. You can catch him at JHS home soccer games or in the hallways at JHS. On weekends you might find him with his American friends, Connor Imboden, Nathan Foote, or Cooper Moore. If you have the pleasure of running into our Germany friend, say “Hallo!”