Italian American Heritage Month: Suburban high schools immerse students in Italian culture

ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. - Two northwest suburban high schools are showcasing exclusive programs during Italian American Heritage Month.

The exclusive programs will help students grasp the impact of the culture on their everyday lives. 

This week, Rolling Meadows High School is taking students on a trip to Italy, without the airfare.

Italian language students have charted a journey of Italian contributions in a special gallery. 

"How much they've done was surprising, when we were doing those projects, we had so many options to choose from," said Iranett Camacho, Rolling Meadows High School junior.

Over at Prospect High School, the table is set for new Italian exchange students who arrived this week.

The school hosts one of the longest-running exchange programs in the country.

"It's one thing to learn a language and a culture in a classroom, but to really live it I think really instills some sort of pride and passion for students to continue their learning," said Natalie del Percio, Prospect High School Italian language instructor and Italian club and exchange coordinator.

American students participating in the program will visit their Italian counterparts over spring break.  

"I'm really excited about this because it feels really different. At first, it felt unreal, but now I'm realizing it is true," said Elisa Rossetti, a 4th-year student in Verona. 

Both high school programs were developed by the Italian language teachers. Each of them are proud Italian Americans.