Village of Addison Sister Cities program provides Addison Trail students with study-abroad experiences

Top left: Addison Trail seniors (from left) John Stathopoulos, Ashley Miranda, Sarah Iskali and Valentina Pentrelli participate in the Village of Addison Sister Cities Golf Adventure. That event took place on Aug. 28 and was a fundraiser to support the Addison Sister Cities program. Through that student-exchange program, Addison hosts students from Triggiano, Italy, and Addison Trail students travel to Italy. Top right: Addison Trail Italian teacher Enza Spilotro poses with her daughter Giulia, 2, on the miniature golf course. Bottom: Addison Trail Principal Michael Bolden (second from left), Addison Trail Athletic Director Matt Thompson (right) and Addison Trail social worker Jorge de Leon (not pictured) are announced as the winners of the golf tournament and receive the Village of Addison Sister Cities Mayor’s Trophy. They are pictured with Village of Addison Sister Cities Co-President/Mayor of Addison Rich Veenstra (left) and Village of Addison Sister Cities Co-President Larry Hartwig (third from left).

The Addison Sister Cities with Triggiano, Italy, is a non-profit organization program that strives to create and strengthen cultural exchanges. An agreement signed in 2003 was to encourage friendship and understanding between Addison and Triggiano. To date, Addison Trail has had about 50 students participate in the program.

The Addison Sister Cities Committee continues to raise funds to help offset the costs of hosting the Italian students and to provide scholarships for Addison Trail students to travel to Italy. The remaining costs are funded by the students and their families. Addison Trail will welcome visitors from Italy in October, and Addison Trail students and staff will go to Italy this spring.

On Aug. 28, the committee hosted a Village of Addison Sister Cities Golf Adventure at Links & Tees Golf Facility in Addison, and all proceeds will benefit the program. District 88 and Addison Trail staff members participated, and the team comprised of Addison Trail Principal Michael Bolden, Addison Trail Athletic Director Matt Thompson and Addison Trail social worker Jorge de Leon won the golf tournament and received the Village of Addison Sister Cities Mayor’s Trophy.

Another fundraiser will take place on Oct. 18 at Addison Trail. All are invited to attend this benefit concert featuring THE FOUR C NOTES, “Chicago’s only tribute (group) recreating the iconic sounds of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons!” The event will begin at 8 p.m., and tickets cost $30 each. There also will be a raffle, and all proceeds will help fund the Village of Addison Sister Cities program. For more information, and to buy tickets, go to https://www.dupage88.net/site/page/10021.

If you are interested in joining the Village of Addison Sister Cities Committee, or for more information about the program, contact Marianne Fotopoulos with the Village of Addison at mfotopoulos@addison-il.org.

District 88 embraces the diversity of its student body and communities as a strength for its schools. The district has about 40 languages and more than 30 countries represented among its families, and almost half of the more than 4,000 pupils at District 88 speak a language other than English at home. The district continuously provides opportunities such as the Addison Sister Cities program for students to experience other cultures. Whether it’s traveling to Europe or hosting guests from abroad, those interactions teach students life lessons and help them develop a global mindset.